Mehr Chand Mahajan

Mehr Chand Mahajan (23 December 1889 in Nagrota, Kangra district – 1967) was the third Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India. Prior to that he was the Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir during the reign of Maharaja Hari Singh and played a key role in the accession of J&K to India. He was the Indian National Congress nominee on the Radcliff Commission that defined the boundaries of India and Pakistan.

Justice Mahajan made his name as an accomplished lawyer, a respected judge, and an influential politician. As a judge he was incisive and forthright and had many leading judgments to his credit.

Early life

Mehr Chand Mahajan was born in Tika Nagrota in the Kangra district of Punjab, British India in 1889. His father, Lala Brij Lal, was an advocate, who later established a reputed legal practice at Dharmsala.^[1]

After completing middle school, Mahajan went to study in the Government College, Lahore, graduating in 1910. He enrolled in M.Sc. Chemistry, but switched to law following persuasion from his father. He earned an LL.B. degree in 1912.^[1]

Career as a lawyer

Mahajan started his career as a lawyer in 1913 in Dharamsala, where he spent a year practising. He spent the next four years (1914-1918) as a lawyer in Gurdaspur. He then practiced law in Lahore from 1918 to 1943. During his time there, he served as president of the High Court Bar Association of Lahore (1938 to 1943).

Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir

Mahajan was Prime Minister of J&K during 1947 and played a role in the accession of the state to India.

Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India

Mahajan took office as the third Chief Justice of India on 4 January 1954. He was the head of India's judicial system for almost a year, until his retirement on 22 December 1954 (mandatory retirement at age 65). Before becoming Chief Justice he served as one of the first Judges of the Supreme Court of independent India from 4 October 1948 to 3 January 1954.

Other positions of note

• Director, Punjab National Bank, 1933–43
• Pres. D.A.V. College, Managing Committee, 1938–43
• Fellow and Syndic, Punjab University, 1940–47
• Judge, Lahore High Court, 1943
• All India Fruit Products Association Bombay Session, 1945
• Member, R.I.N. Mutiny Commission, 1946
• 1947 Prime Minister, Jammu and Kashmir State 1947-48
• Judge, East Punjab High Court
• Punjab Boundary Commission, 1947
• Syndic, East Punjab University, 1947–50
• Constitutional Adviser to His Highness the Maharaja of Bikaner, 1948
• Hon. Degree of LL.D., Punjab University; 1948
• Member, Fruit Development Board, Punjab
• Commission on Belgaum (dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra), 1967

References

External links

• Mehr Chand Mahajan