Colleagues shower praise on Supreme Court judge-designate Ranjana Desai

A wonderful person and a strict judge is how majority of the lawyers describe her. Justice Ranjana Desai, who early this year upheld the death sentence to Ajmal Kasab in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case, will join the Supreme Court soon.

The Supreme Court collegium has recommended her name along with the chief justices of Karnataka and Gujarat High Courts-JS Khehar and SJ Mukhopadhyay-to be elevated to the apex court. Justice Desai would be the fifth woman judge to be elevated to the SC and the second sitting SC judge. At present Justice Gyan Sudha Misra is the only woman judge in the SC.

Born on October 30, 1949, Justice Desai has presided over various landmark judgments in her 15-year career.

Justice Desai was the one who took initiative as a prosecutor along with Justice JN Patel in 1993 to set up the special court at Arthur Road to try the serial bomb blasts case.

Senior advocate Satish Borulkar, who has worked under her when Justice Desai was government pleader and public prosecutor in 1997, has one word to describe her- matchless.

"I have had a long professional association with her. She always encouraged new prosecutors and made them argue difficult cases," said Borulkar.

One of her landmark judgments includes direction to the Election Commission (EC) to seize licenced arms from people during elections. "This was the first time such an order was passed," said Borulkar.

She has also laid down the guidelines to be implemented by the government and the BMC to prevent baby thefts in public hospitals.

Additional public prosecutor Poornima Kantharia said as a public prosecutor Justice Desai was strict and a no-non-sense person. Another advocate said: "Off the dais, she is a humble human being and a warm person."

Her husband is a noted radiologist and her son is a practising advocate in the Supreme Court. After completing her graduation from Elphinstone College in 1970, she studied law at the Government Law College in 1973.

As an advocate, she handled both criminal and civil cases. Initially, she worked as a junior to Justice SC Pratap. She was appointed as the government pleader and public prosecutor in 1983. She was appointed as a judge in 1995.