Justice M. Fathima Beevi, the first female Judge to be appointed to the Supreme Court of India, passed away today at the age of 96.
In her long and decorated career, (Late) Justice Beevi served as a role model and icon for women across the country, and she even left her mark on the the political arena by being appointed as the Governor of Tamil Nadu after her superannuation as Supreme Court judge.
Hailing from Pandalam, Kerala, Justice Beevi completed her schooling at the Catholicate High School in Pathanamthitta, before acquiring her Degree in Bachelor of Science from University College, Trivandrum.
She obtained her Bachelor of Law Degree, from the Government Law College, and enrolled as an Advocate on 14thNovember, 1950.
She began her career in the lower Judiciary of Kerala in 1950, and soon rose through the ranks serving as the Munsiff in the Kerala Subordinate Judicial Services, as a Subordinate Judge, as a Chief Judicial Magistrate, as a District & Sessions Judge, as a Judicial Member of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal -- to become a High Court Judge in 1983, and a Supreme Court Judge in 1989.
She was also the first Muslim woman Judge to be appointed to any Higher Judiciary, and holds the distinction of being the first woman Judge of a Supreme Court of a nation in Asia.
Upon her retirement she first served as a member of the National Human Rights Commission, before being appointed as Governor of Tamil Nadu.
She also served as the Chancellor of Tamil Nadu University during her tenure as Governor, and was the recipient of the Hon. D. Litt and Mahila Shiromani Award in 1990. She was also awarded with the Bharat Jyoti Award and the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) Lifetime Achievement Award.
The SupremeCourt will continue hearing a batch of applications seeking reconsideration of its judgment in Vijay Madanlal Choudhary which upheld the constitutional validity of several PMLA provisions relating to arrest, search and seizure, etc.
A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna and Bela M Trivedi is hearing the matter. Yesterday, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal made arguments on behalf of the petitioner. Reports about yesterday's hearing can be read here and here.
