32 Facts About Markandey Katju

Markandey Katju was the former judge of Supreme Court of India.

Markandey Katju was chairman of the Press Council of India from 2011 to 2014.

Markandey Katju is the son of politician Shiva Nath Katju and grandson of Kailash Nath Katju.

Markandey Katju is the founder and patron of the Indian Reunification Association, an organisation that advocates for the peaceful reunification of what is Pakistan and Bangladesh with India under a secular government.

Markandey Katju was born on 20 September 1946 at Lucknow in a Kashmiri Hindu family.

Markandey Katju's father, Shiva Nath Katju, was a judge and an Indian National Congress politician and was elected a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.

Markandey Katju's grandfather served as the governor of Orissa and West Bengal, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, the Union Home, Law, and the Defence Minister.

Markandey Katju was awarded an Honoris Causa by a Doctor of Philosophy from Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Sanskrit University, New Delhi, for his book Mimansa Rules of Interpretation.

Markandey Katju was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Banaras Hindu University.

Markandey Katju is married to Rupa and has a son and a daughter.

Markandey Katju started his law practice at the Allahabad High Court from 1970 to 1991.

Markandey Katju specialized in Labour Law, Taxation and Writ Petitions.

Markandey Katju has worked as Standing Counsel for the Income Tax Department.

Markandey Katju was elevated to the Bench of Allahabad High Court in 1991 and was appointed acting Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court in August 2004.

Markandey Katju was appointed Chief Justice of Madras High Court in November 2004, and Chief Justice of Delhi High Court in October 2005.

Markandey Katju was then elevated to the Supreme Court of India in April 2006, from which he retired on 19 September 2011; after having served in the judiciary for nearly 20 years.

Markandey Katju subsequently served as the Chairman of the Press Council of India for three years.

Markandey Katju's courtroom was one of the fastest in the Supreme Court, disposing of 100+ matters in a week.

Markandey Katju currently serves as the patron of the Indian Reunification Association, an organization he solely founded that advocates for the reunification of Pakistan and Bangladesh with India under a secular government.

Markandey Katju has supported Hindustani, that is Urdu and Hindi, as the link language of India.

Markandey Katju said that there should be no forceful imposition of Hindustani.

On several occasions, Markandey Katju has said in articles and lectures that he does not recognize Pakistan as a legitimate country, as the whole basis is the two nation theory and he does not accept this.

Markandey Katju has claimed that the eventual reunification of India and Pakistan is the only solution to the Pakistan Kashmir issue.

Markandey Katju justified his stance in a leading Pakistani newspaper The Nation, where he reiterated that the only solution to the ongoing dispute is the reunification of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh under a strong, secular, modern-minded government.

Markandey Katju expanded on the reasons for his support for a reunified India in an article for Newslaundry.

On 20 July 2014, Justice Markandey Katju sparked off a new controversy when on his blog, he alleged that in the year 2004, a corrupt judge was given an extension and later a permanent post due to strong political backing.

Markandey Katju wrote that he himself raised concern about the conduct of this judge and after due probe from CJI, and his doubt was found to be true.

Markandey Katju alleged that a prominent Congress leader arranged an extension to save the UPA government.

In January 2017, Markanday Markandey Katju said that proceedings of judges selection should be televised.

In March 2015, in his blog, Markandey Katju called Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose and Rabindranath Tagore as British and Japanese agents respectively.

Markandey Katju has filed a petition before the Supreme Court of India seeking a quashing of the said resolutions.

Markandey Katju has opposed the reservation system in India and has called upon Dalits and Other Backward Castes to ask for its removal.