Skip to main content

AG Noorani, Noted Constitutional Expert, Lawyer, Author And More

Abdul Ghafoor Noorani, eminent constitutional expert, lawyer and author, died today at the age of 93. A noted scholar on Jammu and Kashmir, his absence is being felt in the Union Territory, where many are mourning him.

An alumnus of Mumbai's Government Law College, his unwavering commitment to justice and legal acumen brought him accolades and helped him blaze a trail from the Bombay High Court to the topmost court of the land.

In the courts, Noorani played a critical role at a difficult time, defending some of the leading lights of the day -- including Sheikh Abdullah during his detention and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

In recent days, he emerged as a sharp and incisive commentator on legal issues, including key judgements of the Supreme Court. With an overview of British India -- he was born in 1930 -- and the post-Independence ideologies, he was a stern critic of what, in his opinion, was a gradual degeneration of the legal system.  

These opinions were expressed in an array of eminent publications including The Statesman, Frontline, Economic & Political Weekly, The Hindustan Times and The Hindu. His views were cited by academics and judges and even in Supreme Court judgments. But along with many admirers, they also earned him some critics, who felt his views were out of sync with ground realities.

As an author, he penned books on constitutional law, politics, and history. Some of his notable works include The Kashmir Question (1964), Ministers' Misconduct (1973), Constitutional Questions and Citizens' Rights (2006), and The RSS: A Menace to India (2019). He also authored the biographies of Badruddin Tyabji and Dr Zakir Hussain.

"Sorry to hear about the demise of A G Noorani Sb earlier today. Noorani Sb was a man of letters, an accomplished lawyer, a scholar & a political commentator. He wrote extensively on matters of law and on subjects like Kashmir, RSS and the constitution. May Allah grant him highest place in Jannat," posted former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in his condolence message on X, formerly Twitter.

"AG Noorani, a giant among scholars has passed away. I learnt a great deal from him, from the constitution, to Kashmir, to China & even the art of appreciating good food. May Allah grant him maghfirah," posted AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

"A man erudite, gruff n scholarly! Be it the #BabriMasjid #Kashmir #RSS #Hyderabad history & rigorous legal documentation was is his forte! Salaam forever #Nooranisaheb or #Ghafoor as his close friends knew him! AG Noorani passes away at 93!" posted activist Teesta Setalvad.



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/Ji1TsHL

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

PM Modi To Reschedule 3-Nation Europe Visit As Tensions With Pakistan Soar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put his three-nation Europe visit on hold as tensions between India and Pakistan have surged in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in which 26 civilians were killed by Pak-linked terrorists in a religiously-motivated terror attack. India responded on Wednesday with precision missile strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. PM Modi, who is closely-monitoring the situation, has reportedly asked for his visit to Croatia, Norway, and the Netherlands, which was due next week, to be rescheduled. As per his original schedule Prime Minister Modi was to commence his official visit to the three nations on May 13. He was also going to participate in the India-Nordic Summit in Oslo on May 15 and 16. All three countries have been informed about the change in PM Modi's schedule. They have also been appraised about the current situation between India and Pakistan. Last month too, on the day of the Pahalga...

After Nitish Kumar's 'Praise', BJP Says Doors Closed For Him

The opposition BJP in Bihar on Thursday said that its doors were "closed" for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who dumped the saffron party a year ago, stripping it of power in the state. State BJP President Samrat Choudhary made the averment to this effect in reply to queries from journalists about the Janata Dal United leader's address to the convocation ceremony of Mahatma Gandhi Central University at Motihari. Speaking in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu and Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Mr Kumar had freely spoken of the tussle he had with the then Congress government at the Centre for getting a university approved for Motihari, where Mahatma Gandhi had launched the Champaran Satyagraha. Without mentioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi by name, Mr Kumar acknowledged that the project saw the light of the day only after a change of guard "in 2014" as the UPA government "initially refused and after much persuasion agreed in principle but did not move for...

Delhi Air On Brink Of Turning "Severe", Most Polluted In India

Delhi's air quality was on the brink of the 'severe' category on Sunday with an overall AQI reading of 382 - the worst recorded in the country for the day. Fifteen monitoring stations of the city recorded air quality levels in the 'severe' zone, having AQI readings over 400, data showed. The city also recorded its lowest nighttime temperature so far, as thick smog and haze shrouded it in a dense cover during the morning and evening hours. The minimum temperature recorded on Sunday was 16.5 degrees Celsius, 1.2 degrees above normal, according to the weather department. The national capital's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI), recorded at 4 pm every day, stood at 382, worsening from 316 the previous day. The locations where air pollution levels reached the 'severe' zone are Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Dwarka, Jahangirpuri, Mundka, NSIT Dwarka, Najafgarh, Nehru Nagar, Okhla Phase 2, Patparganj, Punjabi Bagh, Rohini, Wazirpur and Vivek Vihar...