Eminent jurist Fali S Nariman passed away at his home here on Wednesday morning. He was 95.
According to family sources, his burial will be held at 10 am at Parsi Aramgah near New Delhi’s Khan Market on Thursday. This will be followed by Uthamna (prayer meeting) at 4 pm at the Parsi Anjuman (Dharamsala) at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg.
The legal stalwart is survived by his daughter Anaheeta F Nariman and son and former judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Rohinton F Nariman.
A distinguished constitutional lawyer, Nariman has argued several landmark cases, including the famous NJAC verdict. He also appeared in the important SC AoR Association case (which led to the collegium system), TMA Pai case (on the scope of minority rights under Article 30), among others.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the demise of the stalwart.
“Shri Fali Nariman Ji was among the most outstanding legal minds and intellectuals. He devoted his life to making justice accessible to common citizens. I am pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and admirers. May his soul rest in peace,” he said in a post on ‘X’.
Remembering the eminent personality, DMK leader Kanimozhi said, “Nariman was against the NJAC as he believed they should enjoy the cozy supremacy. He was against the CAA as he believed Hindus shouldn’t get the rights. He was also against the abrogation of Article 370. Besides, he supported anarchism like the farmers’ stir in the name of free speech.”
Nariman’s autobiography ‘Before Memory Fades’ is a widely read book, especially among law students and young lawyers, acting as a source of inspiration for them. “The State of Nation”, “God Save the Hon’ble Supreme Court” are some of his other books.
“I have lived and flourished in a secular India. In the fullness of time if God wills, I would also like to die in a secular India,” he wrote in his autobiography.
The Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan (1991) and Padma Vibhushan (2007).
He was attacked for representing Union Carbide in the famous Bhopal gas leak case. It upset him and he was forced to confront moral issues. This was the same man who had handed in his resignation as a law officer when the Emergency was declared in June 1975.