Mehr Chand Mahajan


Justice Mehr Chand Mahajan was the third Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India. Prior to that he was the 1st Prime Minister of Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir during the reign of Maharaja Hari Singh and played a key role in the accession of J&K to India. He was the Indian National Congress nominee on the Radcliffe Commission that defined the boundaries of India and Pakistan.
Justice Mahajan made his name as an accomplished lawyer, a respected judge, and an influential politician. As a judge he was incisive and forthright and had many leading judgements to his credit.

Early life

Mehr Chand Mahajan was born in 1889 in Nagrota in the Kangra district of Punjab, British India. His father, Lala Brij Lal, was an advocate, who later established a reputed legal practice at Dharmsala.
After completing middle school, Mahajan went to study in the Government College, Lahore, graduating in 1910. He enrolled in M.Sc. Chemistry, but switched to law following persuasion from his father. He earned an LL.B. degree in 1912.

Career as a lawyer

Mahajan started his career as a lawyer in 1913 in Dharamsala, where he spent a year practising. He spent the next four years as a lawyer in Gurdaspur. He then practiced law in Lahore from 1918 to 1943. During his time there, he served as president of the High Court Bar Association of Lahore.

Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir

Mahajan visited Kashmir on invitation of the Maharani in September 1947 and was asked to be the Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir which he accepted. On 15 October 1947, Mahajan was appointed the Prime Minister of Jammu & Kashmir and played a role in the accession of the state to India. Jammu & Kashmir acceded to India in October 1947 and thus Mahajan became the 1st Prime Minister of the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir and served till 5 March 1948.

Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India

Mahajan took office as the third Chief Justice of India on 4 January 1954. He was the head of India's judicial system for almost a year, until his retirement on 22 December 1954. Before becoming Chief Justice he served as one of the first Judges of the Supreme Court of independent India from 4 October 1948 to 3 January 1954.

Other positions of note