Justice Kuldip Singh who shall always be remembered as “Green Judge” passed away in Chandigarh on 25th November, 2024. Born in village Dhudial district Jhelum (Pakistan) in January 1932, he had to migrate to Patiala when the village was burnt by the Muslim crowd at the time of Partition of India in 1947. Like all other refugees who were uprooted he had to go through a hard life and decided to become a Lawyer and passed Law Degree from Punjab University College, Jallandhar. He joined University of London in 1958 and passed Barrister-at-Law from Lincoln University. He started his carrier in Chandigarh, became very popular and was elected Chairman of the Bar Council. He also served as Advocate General of Punjab. Government of India appointed him as Additional Solicitor General. In 1988 he was directly appointed Judge of the Supreme Court of India. One can imagine his ability that he was the fourth direct appointee in the Court’s history after Justices Venkatarama Iyer, Subiman Chandra Roy and S.M. Sikri. He was sworn in on the same day as Justice A.M. Ahmadi. Unfortunately, Justice Ahmadi was given the oath before him which was very calculated move. Ahmadi was made Chief Justice and Kuldip Singh missed the opportunity which rankled him for a long time.
Guru Nanak is the first prophet who made a call to save Earth. In Bani he described “air as Guru, water as father and earth as mother”. Justice Kuldip Singh literally followed this as a true Sikh and gave number of Judgements to save national monuments and cities from pollution. He ordered lifting of all brick kilns from city of Delhi and all the marble shops around Qutab Minar. To save another historic monument he noted that Industries around Taj Mahal, Agra using Coke and Coal were damaging both the monument and health of the people. He issued same ordered against Kolkala Tanneries discharging toxic waste in river Ganges. Because of him the entire green ridge in Delhi has been saved by removing all the structures. I heard Sh. Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister commenting that when Government of India failed Justice Kuldip Singh came forward to save Delhi. In an historic Judgement he gave relief to 100s of jail inmates who were waiting there Reviews Petitions for long years. I know that two senior most Sikh Activist got benefit of this.
Incidentally, Justice Kuldip Singh was the second Sikh Judge in India after Justice Ranjit Singh Sarkaria. After retirement in 1996 he settled in Chandigarh. He created history when he formed a People’s Court having a retired High Court Judge and two senior Punjab Burocrates as Members. Hundreds of victims of 1984 tragedy were able to file complaints against Police accesses. This Commission created a stir in entire country. At the first ever World Sikh Convention at Akal Takhat, Amritsar S. Kuldip Singh was made Chairman of the World Sikh Council. This was hailed by the entire Sikh community. He established National & Regional Sikh Councils all over. Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal the eldest Sikh Scholar wrote in his condolence message:- “When we arranged to invite Justice Sahib to represent the Khalsa Panth at the millennium celebration at the United Nations in New York, and as he could not attend due to his knee surgery, he asked me to represent him at UNO, which I did.”
After every 25 years Government of India appoints a Delimitation Commission to readjust the Parliament and Assembly Constituencies.
Sh. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister appointed Justice Kuldip Singh as Chairman of this Commission in 2002. It was most stupendous task where every politician of the country is involved. All the existing Parliament and Assembly Constituencies are demarcated by him.
S. Kuldip Singh elder son S. Paramjit Singh Patwalia remained Judge of Punjab High Court, Additional Solicitor General of India and is a senior Advocate in Delhi. His second son an Advocate in Chandigarh remained Advocate General of Punjab. His wife Gurminder Kaur retired as Principal, Government College Mohali, Chandigarh.
