CJI to inaugurate High Court Bar library honouring ‘Green Judge’
Refurbished facility to open on March 7
The library of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association, extensively refurbished in the memory of “Green Judge” of the Supreme Court, Justice Kuldip Singh, will be inaugurated on Saturday by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant.
The function at the High Court Bar Association’s main hall will be presided over by the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Sheel Nagu.
The initiative has been undertaken by senior advocate Paramjit Singh Patwalia, the son of Justice Kuldip Singh, who is widely remembered for pioneering environmental jurisprudence in India that earned him the sobriquet “Green Judge”.
During his tenure on the Supreme Court Bench, he introduced and strengthened key environmental doctrines such as the “polluter pays” and “precautionary” principles, which later became foundational to environmental governance in India.
Among his most celebrated interventions were directions aimed at protecting the Taj Mahal from industrial pollution—orders that reflected his belief that environmental protection was integral to constitutional governance.
Born on January 1, 1932, Justice Singh studied at Col Brown Cambridge School before pursuing law at Panjab University and later at the University of London. A barrister-at-law from Lincoln’s Inn, he went on to serve as Punjab’s Advocate-General in 1987 and as Additional Solicitor-General of India before his elevation to the Supreme Court in 1988.
On the Bench, he became known for transforming public interest litigation into a powerful instrument for social and environmental justice. His insistence on effective implementation of judicial directions often saw him hold the executive accountable when compliance faltered.
Justice Singh also formed part of the nine-judge Bench that delivered the landmark judgment in the Mandal Commission case on reservations.
Even after retiring from the Supreme Court in 1996, he continued to serve public causes. He later chaired the Delimitation Commission in 2002 and headed a tribunal in 2012 to investigate alleged land grab cases in Punjab. He breathed his last in November 2024.
Remembered for his fearless voice in the courtroom and unwavering commitment to justice, Justice Singh’s legacy continues to influence generations of lawyers and judges.
