Ranjana Desai

2025-10-28T13:59:32Z

117.255.246.50: added references

{{Short description|Indian judge (born 1949)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ranjana Desai
| image = Ranjana Prakash Desai.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption =
| office = Judge of the [[Supreme Court of India]]
| termstart = 13 September 2011
| termend = 29 October 2014
| office2 = Judge of the [[Bombay High Court]]
| termstart2 = 1996
| termend2 = 2011
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1949|10|30}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = Prakash Desai
}}
'''Ranjana Prakash Desai''' (born 30 October 1949) is a former judge of the [[Supreme Court of India]] and the head of the [[Delimitation Commission of India]]. She was previously a public prosecutor for the State of Maharashtra, and served as a judge on the Bombay High Court before her appointment to the Supreme Court. Following her retirement from the Supreme Court, Desai was the chairperson of the Indian [[Appellate Tribunal for Electricity]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Election Commission of India|date=11 May 2020|title=Hon'ble Justice Smt Ranjana Prakash Desai has taken over the charge of Chairperson Delimitation Commission|url=https://old.eci.gov.in/files/file/12021-honble-justice-smt-ranjana-prakash-desai-has-taken-over-the-charge-of-chairperson-delimitation-commission/|access-date=12 July 2020}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==

Desai's father was the criminal lawyer S. G. Samant. She completed her [[Bachelor of Arts]] from the [[Elphinstone College]] in 1970 and [[Bachelor of Laws]] from the [[Government Law College, Mumbai|Government Law College]], Bombay in 1973.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Appellate Tribunal For Electricity|url=http://aptel.gov.in/members/Ranjana%20P%20Desai.html|access-date=2017-09-14|website=aptel.gov.in}}</ref>

== Career ==

Desai enrolled as an advocate on 30 July 1973, and began practicing law, working in the chambers of S.C. Pratap before he was appointed as judge in the Bombay High Court, as well as with her father, S.G. Samant, who practiced criminal law.<ref name=":1" /> In 1979, Desai began working as an Assistant Government Pleader in the Bombay High Court, appearing for the Government of Maharashtra, and in 1983, was appointed as an Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor for the State of Maharashtra.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=High Court of Judicature at Bombay|title=Justice R.P. Desai|url=https://bombayhighcourt.nic.in/jshowpuisne.php?bhcpar=amdldGlkPTM1NSZwYWdlbm89MTg=|access-date=12 July 2020}}</ref> In 1986, Desai was appointed as the State of Maharashtra's Special Public Prosecutor in cases concerning [[preventive detention]].<ref name=":2" /> In 1995, she began appearing for the Government of Maharashtra as a government pleader in appeals at the Bombay High Court.<ref name=":1" />

=== High Court of Bombay ===

Desai was initially appointed as an additional judge at the [[Bombay High Court]] on 15 April 1996 for a period of two years, and was confirmed as a permanent judge on 12 April 1998. She continued to serve as a judge on the Bombay High Court until she was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2011.<ref name=":2" />

=== Supreme Court of India ===

On 13 September 2011, Desai was appointed as a judge at the Supreme Court of India and served in that capacity until 2014.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.livemint.com/Companies/70a1ganiktjcmCZI61tX3M/Justice-Ranjana-Prakash-Desai-takes-over-as-Aptel-chairperso.html|title=Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai takes over as Aptel chairperson|last=Apoorva|date=2014-12-01|work=www.livemint.com/|access-date=2017-09-14}}</ref> She was the fifth woman to be appointed as an Indian Supreme Court judge.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2011-09-10|title=City Brief|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/city-brief-13/|access-date=2020-07-12|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

=== Electricity Appellate Tribunal ===

Desai took charge as chairperson of Appellate Tribunal for Electricity on 1 December 2014 in [[New Delhi]] and continued to serve in that capacity until 29 October 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Former Supreme Court Judge Justice Ranjana Desai took charge as chairperson of Appellate Tribunal for Electricity on December 1, 2014 in New Delhi. - Times of India|work=The Times of India|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/Former-Supreme-Court-Judge-Justice-Ranjana-Desai-took-charge-as-chairperson-of-Appellate-Tribunal-for-Electricity-on-December-1-2014-in-New-Delhi-/articleshow/45413280.cms?|access-date=2017-09-14}}</ref>

=== Advance Ruling Authority [Income Tax] ===

Desai was appointed as Chairperson of the Advance Ruling Authority [Income Tax] in 2018 and held the position until 29 October 2019.<ref name=":0" />

=== Lokpal appointment committee ===
On 28 September 2018, the Government of India constituted a search committee of eight, chaired by Desai, under the [[The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013|Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013]], to search for and recommend a chairperson and members for India's anti-corruption ombudsman agency, the [[Lokpal]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-09-28|title=Centre forms eight-member Lokpal {{sic|Com|mitee|nolink=y}} headed by Justice Ranjana Desai; Arundhati Bhattacharya, ISRO chief among members|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/centre-forms-eight-member-lokpal-{{sic|com|mitee|hide=y}}-headed-by-justice-ranjana-desai-arundhati-bhattacharya-isro-chief-among-members-5279141.html|access-date=2020-07-12|website=Firstpost}}</ref> The Committee provided its recommendations to the Selection Committee on 28 February 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|last=IANS|date=2019-03-07|title=When will Selection Committee meet to select Lokpal, asks SC|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/hot-news/when-will-selection-committee-meet-to-select-lokpal-asks-sc|access-date=2020-07-12|website=TheQuint|language=en}}</ref>

=== Delimitation Commission of India ===

Desai was appointed as the chairperson of the Delimitation Commission of India on 13 March 2020.<ref name=":0" />

=== Uniform civil code committee ===

Desai was appointed as the Head of the [[Uniform Civil Code Uttarakhand|Uttarakhand UCC committee]] on 28 May 2022.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates/uttarakhand-government-forms-expert-committee-examine-implement-uniform-civil-code-200324 | title=Uttarakhand Government Forms Expert Committee to Examine & Implement Uniform Civil Code in State | date=28 May 2022 }}</ref>

=== Press Council of India ===
Desai was appointed as the chairperson of the [[Press Council of India]]. Her term started on 17 June 2022.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}

=== 8th Central Pay Commission ===
Desai was appointed as the Chairperson of the [https://www.staffnews.in/category/8th-pay-commission 8th Central Pay Commission] on 28 October 2025. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-28 |title=8th Central Pay Commission (8th CPC) - Constituted in Chairmanship of Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India {{!}} StaffNews |url=https://www.staffnews.in/2025/10/8th-central-pay-commission-8th-cpc-constituted.html |access-date=2025-10-28 |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Jurisprudence ==
On 8 May 2012, the Supreme Court bench composed of Ranjana Desai and [[Altamas Kabir]] ordered the government to end the Haj subsidy by 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/trXuDTfMqI7qMUip3wNd7H/SC-strikes-down-Haj-subsidy.html|title=SC strikes down Haj subsidy - Livemint|website=www.livemint.com|date=8 May 2012 |access-date=2018-09-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/supreme-court-disapproves-haj-subsidy-to-be-eliminated-within-10-years/articleshow/13047870.cms?from=mdr|title=Supreme Court disapproves Haj subsidy, to be eliminated within 10 years|date=2012-05-08|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2018-09-24}}</ref> On 27 September 2013, in a [[landmark decision]], a three-judge bench consisting of the Chief Justice [[P. Sathasivam]] and Justices Desai and [[Ranjan Gogoi]] ruled that the right to register a "none of the above" vote in elections should apply. The court said that negative voting would lead to systemic change in polls and political parties will be forced to project clean candidates.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Highlights-of-SC-judgement-giving-voter-the-right-to-reject-all-candidates/articleshow/23155676.cms|title=Highlights of SC judgement giving voter the right to reject all candidates - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-09-24}}</ref> The Election Commission said that the judgement will be implemented immediately.<ref name="Will implement voters' right to reject candidates straight away: Election Commission">{{cite news |publisher=Times of India |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Will-implement-voters-right-to-reject-candidates-straight-away-Election-Commission/articleshow/23169193.cms |title=Will implement voters' right to reject candidates straight away: Election Commission |first=Bharti |last=Jain |date=27 September 2013 |access-date=2013-09-27}}</ref><ref name="Voters have right to reject, says Supreme Court">{{cite news |newspaper=Hindustan Times |date=27 September 2013 |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/coverage/MyIndia-MyVote/Chunk-HT-UI-MyIndiaMyVote-TopStories/Voters-have-right-to-reject-poll-panel-must-give-them-option-says-Supreme-Court/SP-Article10-1127779.aspx |title=Voters have right to reject, poll panel must give them option, says Supreme Court |access-date=2013-09-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927071428/http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/coverage/MyIndia-MyVote/Chunk-HT-UI-MyIndiaMyVote-TopStories/Voters-have-right-to-reject-poll-panel-must-give-them-option-says-Supreme-Court/SP-Article10-1127779.aspx |archive-date=27 September 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Desai, Ranjana}}
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian judges]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women judges]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian judges]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women judges]]
[[Category:Judges of the Bombay High Court]]
[[Category:Justices of the Supreme Court of India]]

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Ranjana Desai