DK origin Justice SA Nazeer part of historic Ayodhya SC bench

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Nov 10, 2019: Justice S Abdul Nazeer, was a lone Muslim judge in the 5-member Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, which on November 9, Saturday delivered a historic verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case, hails from Dakshina Kannada (DK) district.

A native of Kana in Beluvai near Moodbidri, Justice Nazeer has carved a niche for himself in matters pertaining to law, religion/theology. Justice Nazeer was also the part of the five-judge bench in the ‘triple talaq’ matter. He had, however, delivered a minority verdict along with then Chief Justice of India J S Khehar.

However, in the Ayodhya verdict, Justice Nazeer did not agree with the arguments of the Muslim parties and became a part of the unanimous verdict that possession of the disputed 2.77 acre land rights will be handed over to Ram Lalla.

Justice Nazeer was also a part of the apex court’s nine-judge bench which had declared ‘right to privacy’ a fundamental right in the August 2017 verdict.

Brief Background of the Judge: 
Justice Nazeer, who’d started his career as an advocate under the guidance of senior advocate M K Vijayakumar from Karkala, rose to the position of Supreme Court judge through sheer hard work and determination. He moved to Bengaluru and continued to practice in High Court.

In May 2003, he was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Karnataka High Court. In February 2017, while serving as a judge of Karnataka High Court, Nazeer was elevated to the Supreme Court.

Nazeer had studied at Jain High School and Mahaveera College in Moodbidri and is an alumnus of SDM Law College in Mangaluru.

A man of simplicity
Known for his humility and simplicity, Justice Nazeer continues to maintain cordial relationship with his senior Vijayakumar. He presided over a programme to felicitate his senior on completing 50 years of practice, sources close to Vijayakumar said.

SDM College Principal Dr Tharanath Shetty stated, “During NAAC team’s visit to renew the accreditation, Justice Nazeer preferred to be seated among the audience and politely turned down requests to share the dais. He attends programmes in the college and helps students by regularly donating legal books to the college library,”

Meanwhile, police security to the house of Justice Abdul Naseer at Kana has been strengthened. His younger brother Mansoor presently stays in the house. “I am happy that my brother was part of the Supreme Court bench that pronounced the historic judgement on the decades-old Ayodhya dispute,” a cheerful Mansoor said. Indeed our Kanara and it’s people are great in many many ways.