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V. N. Khare: added short description

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{{Use Indian English|date=August 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{short description|33rd Chief Justice of India}}
{{Infobox Judge
| name = Vishweshwar Nath Khare
| image = Justice V.N. Khare.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| order = 33rd
| office = Chief Justice of India
| term_start = 19 Dec 2002
| term_end = 2 May 2004
| nominator =
| appointer = [[A. P. J. Kalam]]
| predecessor = [[Gopal Ballav Pattanaik]]
| successor = [[S. Rajendra Babu]]
| birth_name = 
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1939|5|2|df=y}}
| birth_place = Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
| death_date =
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| nationality = Indian
| other_names =
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| alma_mater = [[Allahabad University]]
| signature =
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| footnotes =
| office1 = [[Judge]] of [[Supreme Court of India]]
| termstart1 = 21 March 1997
| termend1 = 01 May 2004
| appointer1 = [[Shankar Dayal Sharma]]
}}

'''Vishweshwar Nath Khare''' was the 33rd [[Chief Justice of India]], serving from 19 December 2002 to 2 May 2004. He was a judge of the [[Supreme Court of India]] from 21 March 1997 before he was elevated to the post of Chief Justice.

==Early life==
Khare was born in [[Allahabad]] on 2 May 1939. He lived in Allahabad for much of his life and did his schooling from [[St. Joseph's College, Allahabad]]. He further attended the [[Allahabad University]]. Khare was a First Class cricket player, playing for the state of Uttar Pradesh in [[Ranji Trophy]] matches in 1958.

==Legal career==
Khare started his career as an Advocate in the [[Allahabad High Court]] in 1961, where he practised on Civil, Writ and Revenue petitions. He was appointed Chief Standing Counsel for the [[Government of Uttar Pradesh]]. On 25 June 1983, he was appointed a Judge of the [[Allahabad High Court]]. In early 1996, he was appointed Chief Justice of the [[Calcutta High Court]], from where he was elevated to the [[Supreme Court of India]] a year later.

===Emergency===
{{Main|The Emergency (India)}}
{{see also|State of Uttar Pradesh v. Raj Narain}}
As an Advocate in 1975, Khare and his uncle, S. C. Khare, represented [[Indira Gandhi]], [[Prime Minister of India]], in her famous case against [[Raj Narain]], alleging electoral malpractices. He was responsible for advocating the case that got the order of the High Court stayed until an appeal could be filed in the Supreme Court.<ref>[[Kuldip Nayar]] 1977. The judgment: Inside story of the emergency in India. Vikas Publishing House.</ref> The decision of the Supreme Court led to the imposition of [[Indian Emergency (1975 - 77)|Emergency in India]] for a period of 19 months, the only [[State of Emergency in India|suspension of democracy]] the country has seen since Independence in 1947.

===Gujarat violence===
{{see also|2002 Gujarat violence}}
During his tenure as the Chief Justice of India, Khare was confronted with the failure of the justice system in the aftermath of the Gujarat violence following the [[Godhra train burning]]. His decision to reopen the [[Best Bakery Case]] provided some recourse for victims of the violence. Speaking to [[The Hindu]] newspaper when he retired<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/05/02/stories/2004050202680800.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040624111642/http://www.hindu.com/2004/05/02/stories/2004050202680800.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 June 2004|work=[[The Hindu]]|title=National : I raised the image of judiciary: V.N. Khare|date=2004-05-02|access-date=6 October 2014}}</ref> he said, "I found there was complete collusion between the accused and the prosecution in Gujarat, throwing rule of law to the winds. The Supreme Court had to step in to break the collusion to ensure protection to the victims and the witnesses. I was anguished and pained by the turn of events during the trial of the riot cases but was determined to salvage the criminal justice delivery system."

In interviews to the media in 2004, Khare explained why he decided to transfer the [[Best Bakery case]] to [[Maharashtra]] for a retrial.<ref name="Telegraph">{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040503/asp/nation/story_3199474.asp|title=Khare vote for truth |work= The Telegraph |date=3 May 2004|access-date=16 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="rediff">{{cite news|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/may/19inter.htm|title=As a judge, my job is to wipe tears |work= Rediff |date=19 May 2004|access-date=16 October 2016}}</ref> In a 2012 interview, Khare gave details about the [[Best Bakery case]] and the [[Gulbarg Society massacre]] in explaining why he believed the [[2002 Gujarat Violence]] was an instance of a "state sponsored genocide".<ref name="HardNews">{{cite news|url=http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2012/02/4566 |title=I would have lodged an FIR against Narendra Modi on charges of genocide and manslaughter |work=HardNews |date=28 February 2012|access-date=16 October 2016}}</ref>

==Post retirement==
Since retiring as Chief Justice of India, Khare comments occasionally on national television and press on issues of jurisprudence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/full_story.php?content_id=88403|title=Justice after Jessica Lall|work=The Indian Express|access-date=6 October 2014}}</ref> His comments on the [[Jessica Lal]] murder case echoed the sentiments expressed during the Gujarat riots. He is also appointed as the Chancellor of [[Central University of Jharkhand]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cuj.ac.in/chancellor.php|title=Justice V.N.Khare|publisher=Cuj.ac.in|access-date=6 October 2014}}</ref>

==Criticism==
Khare's comments on there being an appearance of complicity between the state government and the rioters during the 2002 Gujarat violence have been criticized by [[Narendra Modi]].<ref name="Sify">{{cite news|url=http://www.sify.com/carnaticmusic/news/fullstory.php?id=13468685|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018230518/http://www.sify.com/carnaticmusic/news/fullstory.php?id=13468685|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2016|title=Modi on retired CJI Khare's comments |work= Sify |date=5 May 2004|access-date=16 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="TOI">{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Justice-Khares-remarks-irk-Gujarat-CM/articleshow/657204.cms|title=Justice Khare's remarks irk Gujarat CM |work= The Times of India |date=3 May 2004|access-date=16 October 2016}}</ref> According to Modi:{{Quote|Judges should keep away from politics. Khare should know the difference between khare and khote (wrong and right). The state government was never a party to riots, nor was it a silent spectator. No commission of inquiry has indicted me. I am a victim of false propaganda by a section of the media.The million dollar question is why did Khare make the remark only after retiring from office? Regarding my role in the riots the people of Gujarat are the best judge and they have replied in a befitting manner.<ref name="Sify"/>}}

==Awards and honors==
Khare was awarded the [[Padma Vibhushan]], India's second highest civilian honour in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://supremecourtofindia.nic.in/judges/bio/vnkhare.htm|title=V. N. Khare|publisher=Supremecourtofindia.nic.in|access-date=6 October 2014}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://legalera.in/interviews/item/10828-judiciary-is-not-corrupt-judges-are-corrupt-ex-cji-justice-khare LegalEra Magazine Interview]
*[http://specials.rediff.com/news/2006/mar/29slide6.htm Padma Vibhushan awarded to V N Khare - News item]

{{s-start}}
{{s-legal}}
{{succession box | before = [[Gopal Ballav Pattanaik]] | title = [[Chief Justice of India]] | years =19 December 2002– 2 May 2004| after =[[S. Rajendra Babu]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Chief Justices of India}}
{{Padma Vibhushan Awards}}
{{2002 Gujarat Violence}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khare, V. N.}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in public affairs]]
[[Category:Scholars from Allahabad]]
[[Category:Chief Justices of India]]
[[Category:University of Allahabad alumni]]
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:Judges of the Allahabad High Court]]
[[Category:Chief Justices of the Calcutta High Court]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian lawyers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian lawyers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian judges]]

V. N. Khare - Revision history

EliseMacnaghten: brief expand citations as per guidelines and updated info

imported>SONIANKIT135: /* V. N. Khare */ added short description