Justice V. Balakrishna Eradi
Encyclopedia
Vettath Balakrishna Eradi (19 June 1922 – 30 December 2010) was a Judge of Supreme Court of India
. He also served as the Chief Justice
of the Kerala High Court
and as President of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
(NCDRC) and the Chairman of Ravi & Beas Waters Disputes Tribunal. Eradi was also noted for his role in several spiritual, cultural, and social organizations.
in the India
n State of Kerala
. He had his early education at the Zamorin’s High School and Zamorin's College
, both in Calicut. He received his B.A. degree from the Madras Christian College
, Madras
in 1941 with first rank in Sanskrit
. He studied Law at the Madras Law College and received his B.L. degree in 1943 with a first rank in Madras Presidency
.
. He began his profession as junior to K. Kuttikrishna Menon, before starting an independent practice in the Madras High Court. He was later appointed by the Madras Government as Junior Counsel to conduct several Government cases.
Eradi shifted his practice to Ernakulam
in 1956 when the new High Court of Kerala was established. In 1961, he was appointed as Senior Government Pleader in theKerala High Court where he conducted several important Government cases. He was also doing private practice during this time. In April 1967, Balakrishna was aapointed Additional Judge of the Kerala High Court and six months later elevated as Permanent Judge. During his tenure at Kerala High Court, he was appointed as Chairman of several committees, including the High Court Committee appointed by the Government of Kerala for suggesting ways and means of raising the standard of legal education in the State. Eradi was appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court of Kerala in January 1980 and was elevated to the Judge of the Supreme Court of India
a year later. While functioning as Judge of the Supreme Court, was appointed by Government of India as Chairman of the Ravi
and Beas
Waters Tribunal for adjudication of the dispute regarding sharing of the Punjab River waters between States of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Justice Eradi retired from the Bench of the Supreme Court on attaining the age of superannuation in 1987.
After retirement
In 1988, he was appointed as President of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
, a post he held until he retired in 1997. In 1999 he was appointed as Chairman of the National Company Law Tribunal and Appellate Tribunal, a High Level Committee to examine the existing laws relating to winding up proceedings of companies in order to remodel it in line with the latest developments.
Eradi was actively connected with cultural and social service organizations and was President of International Centre for Kathakali
, Delhi
since 1982 and is also the President of Swaralaya, a carnatic music society of India. He was a Member of the Council of Management of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust from its inception in 1972.
After the retirement he stayed in New Delhi
with his wife, Saraswathy Eradi and later shifted to Calicut
and was residing at Chalappuram. Balakrishnan Eradi died on 30 December 2010 at a private hospital in Calicut.
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
. He also served as the Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Kerala High Court
Kerala High Court
High Court of Kerala is the highest court in the Indian state of Kerala and in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. The High Court of Kerala is headquartered at Kochi...
and as President of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, India is a quasi-judicial commission in India which was set up in 1988 under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986. Its head office is in New Delhi. The commission is headed by a sitting or retired judge of the Supreme Court of India. The present...
(NCDRC) and the Chairman of Ravi & Beas Waters Disputes Tribunal. Eradi was also noted for his role in several spiritual, cultural, and social organizations.
Early life and education
Balakrishnan Eradi was born on 19 June 1922 at KozhikodeKozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n State of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. He had his early education at the Zamorin’s High School and Zamorin's College
Zamorin's Guruvayurappan College
The Zamorin's Guruvayurappan College is a private college in Kozhikode, Kerala offering graduation and post-graduation courses. It is affiliated to the University of Calicut. The original institution was founded by the Zamorin of Calicut, H.H.Sri.Manavikraman Maharaja Bahadur, as an English school...
, both in Calicut. He received his B.A. degree from the Madras Christian College
Madras Christian College
The Madras Christian College, commonly known as MCC, is a liberal arts and sciences college in Madras , India. Founded in 1837, MCC is one of Asia's oldest extant colleges. Currently, the college is affiliated to the University of Madras, but functions as an autonomous institution from its campus...
, Madras
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
in 1941 with first rank in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
. He studied Law at the Madras Law College and received his B.L. degree in 1943 with a first rank in Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
.
Career
Eradi enrolled as an advocate in Madras High CourtMadras High Court
The Madras High Court is a senior court located at Chennai , in India. The court buildings, which are believed to be the second largest judicial complex in the world, are located near the beach, in one of the city's major business districts....
. He began his profession as junior to K. Kuttikrishna Menon, before starting an independent practice in the Madras High Court. He was later appointed by the Madras Government as Junior Counsel to conduct several Government cases.
Eradi shifted his practice to Ernakulam
Ernakulam
Ernakulam refers to the downtown area or the western part of the mainland of Kochi city in Kerala, India. The city is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Ernakulam is called the commercial capital of the state of Kerala and is a main nerve of business in...
in 1956 when the new High Court of Kerala was established. In 1961, he was appointed as Senior Government Pleader in theKerala High Court where he conducted several important Government cases. He was also doing private practice during this time. In April 1967, Balakrishna was aapointed Additional Judge of the Kerala High Court and six months later elevated as Permanent Judge. During his tenure at Kerala High Court, he was appointed as Chairman of several committees, including the High Court Committee appointed by the Government of Kerala for suggesting ways and means of raising the standard of legal education in the State. Eradi was appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court of Kerala in January 1980 and was elevated to the Judge of the Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
a year later. While functioning as Judge of the Supreme Court, was appointed by Government of India as Chairman of the Ravi
Ravi River
The Ravi is a trans-boundary river flowing through Northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. It is one of the six rivers of the Indus System in Punjab region ....
and Beas
Beas River
The Beas River is a river in the northern part of India. The river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows for some 470 km to the Sutlej River in the Indian state of Punjab....
Waters Tribunal for adjudication of the dispute regarding sharing of the Punjab River waters between States of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Justice Eradi retired from the Bench of the Supreme Court on attaining the age of superannuation in 1987.
After retirement
In 1988, he was appointed as President of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, India is a quasi-judicial commission in India which was set up in 1988 under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986. Its head office is in New Delhi. The commission is headed by a sitting or retired judge of the Supreme Court of India. The present...
, a post he held until he retired in 1997. In 1999 he was appointed as Chairman of the National Company Law Tribunal and Appellate Tribunal, a High Level Committee to examine the existing laws relating to winding up proceedings of companies in order to remodel it in line with the latest developments.
Eradi was actively connected with cultural and social service organizations and was President of International Centre for Kathakali
Kathakali
Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
since 1982 and is also the President of Swaralaya, a carnatic music society of India. He was a Member of the Council of Management of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust from its inception in 1972.
After the retirement he stayed in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
with his wife, Saraswathy Eradi and later shifted to Calicut
Kozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
and was residing at Chalappuram. Balakrishnan Eradi died on 30 December 2010 at a private hospital in Calicut.