Deepak Verma is an Indian jurist and a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India.^[2] His career in the Indian judiciary includes serving as the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka,^[3][4] and holding the position of a judge in the High Court of Madhya Pradesh.^[5][6][7][8] After retiring from the Supreme Court, Justice Verma has become known for his work as an international arbitrator and mediator, and he has acted as an expert^[9][10][11] on matters of Indian law in several high profile cases before foreign courts and international tribunals including the Enrica Lexie incident and the multi-billion dollar Vijay Mallya case. He has also assumed the role of a sports ombudsman in India.^[12][13][14] Additionally, he has chaired significant High-Powered Judicial Committees appointed by the High Court and the Supreme Court of India.^[15][16] He also serves as the chairperson and member of the advisory board of several distinguished non-profits, educational institutions and universities in India.^{[17][18][19][20][21]}

Early Life and Education

Justice Verma was born on August 28, 1947, in Jabalpur to Late Mr. R.P. Verma, who was an eminent lawyer in Madhya Pradesh. His educational journey began with his schooling at institutions such as Christ Church, Mahakaushal High School, and Model High School, and culminated with his matriculation from Naveen Vidya Bhawan in Jabalpur. Following his matriculation, he initially pursued a B.Sc. degree at Government Science College, Jabalpur, but subsequently transitioned to the field of Arts, ultimately completing his B.A. from St. Aloysius College in Jabalpur. Justice Verma then embarked on his legal education journey, earning his LL.B. degree from Jabalpur University. His enrollment as an Advocate occurred in the year 1972, marking the official commencement of his legal career.^[22][23]

Legal & Judicial Career

Justice Verma's legal career was rooted in civil law, primarily under the guidance of his father, the late Shri R.P. Verma, a distinguished lawyer of his time. He practiced as an Advocate on the civil side until his elevation in 1994. During his tenure as an Administrative Judge of Indore until August 2005, he played a significant role in judicial administration. Subsequently, he continued his service as the Administrative Judge at the High Court of Madhya Pradesh in Jabalpur.^[24][25]

During his tenure as an appellate court judge, he was renowned for his compassion towards underprivileged litigants. As a sitting judge of the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Justice Verma was entrusted with the critical role of Welfare Commissioner for the Bhopal Gas Victims, tasked with disbursing compensation to those affected by the tragic Bhopal gas disaster, which is considered the world’s worst industrial disaster involving thousands of deaths and over half a million victims of serious non-fatal injuries.^[26] Under his stewardship, a substantial number of victims received their rightful compensation, with diligent efforts made to locate and assist even those who were not traceable despite multiple notices. He is known to have disposed of all matters pending before him by holding sittings for the victims even during public holidays.^{[27][28][29][30][31]} His judicial career extended beyond Madhya Pradesh when he was transferred as a Judge to the Karnataka High Court in Bangalore on January 2, 2008, owing to his seniority. Being the seniormost judge on the bench, he also served as the Acting Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court. On March 4, 2009, he was further elevated as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court,^[32] and he took the oath of office on March 6, 2009. Subsequently, he was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India on May 11, 2009, where he continued to serve until his retirement on August 28, 2012.^[33]

Justice Verma's judicial career culminated with his appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India in 2009. During his tenure on the bench, he delivered numerous landmark judgments in a wide array of legal areas, including administrative law, arbitration law, criminal law, constitutional law, insurance law, family law, company law, service law, and taxation, among others. His judgments continue to serve as precedents in various legal matters.^[34][35] He was part of several benches of the Supreme Court of India dealing with critical issues such as the Right to Food, which aimed to ensure the distribution of grain to the poor at "no cost" or "very low cost" as part of the efforts to streamline the Public Distribution System.^[36][37][38] Additionally, he was part of the bench at the Supreme Court that redefined medical negligence to include cases involving overdose of medicines, failure to inform patients about potential side-effects of drugs, lack of extra care in cases with a high mortality rate, and hospitals failing to provide fundamental amenities to patients. Notably, he also presided over the appeal in the high-profile 1999 Delhi hit-and-run case, among other significant cases.^{[39] [40][41]}

Arbitration and Mediation

Post-retirement from the Indian judiciary, Justice Deepak Verma established himself as a prominent arbitrator and mediator in both domestic and international disputes. He has presided over more than 200 domestic and international arbitrations, rendering awards in complex cases valued at several billion dollars. His expertise spans a wide range of sectors, including construction, energy, insurance, maritime, international trade, and more. Additionally, he has provided expert opinions before international tribunals and courts worldwide.^[42][43][44]

Expert in Indian Law

Justice Verma is widely recognized as an expert in matters of Indian law. He has acted as an expert witness in several precedent-setting multijurisdictional disputes before the Federal Courts in the United States, the Senior Courts in England and Wales, the Commission for Control of INTERPOL Files (CCF),and the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague. He has also acted as the inquiry authority and overseen internal investigations for several multinational corporations and banking and financial institutions.^[45][46][47]

Philanthropy

Justice Deepak Verma is also known for his philanthropic contributions to society. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he made a generous contribution of Rs. 51 lakh to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to support the welfare of laborers and migrant workers, which was arguably one of the highest donations by a jurist in India.^[48][49] He actively supports various non-profits in India working for women empowerment, the poor and the marginalized.^[50][51][52] Justice Verma also serves as the Chairperson and Trustee of the Socio-Legal Information Centre (SLIC), a non-profit legal aid and education organization that provides free legal assistance to those who lack the capacity to seek legal remedy.SLIC is an implementing partner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).It files more than 100 petitions each year to protect the health, dignity, and rights of Indian citizens. SLIC has emerged as one of India’s largest and most active legal human rights program and reproductive rights unit, through its project the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN).^[53][54]

Professional Memberships and Appointments

Justice Deepak Verma holds memberships in several prestigious arbitration and mediation institutions worldwide.^[55][56] Post retirement from the Supreme Court he has acted as a sports ombudsman for major cricket associations in India and chaired High Powered Judicial Committees appointed by the High Court and the Supreme Court of India.^[57][58][59]

Notable Appointments

- Chairperson: High Powered Committee appointed by the Supreme Court of India to oversee import, transfer, procurement, rescue, and rehabilitation of wild animals, including those in captivity, across India (2022).^{[60][61][62][63]} - Ombudsman: Delhi & District Cricket Association (2020).^[64][65][66] - Ombudsman: Hyderabad Cricket Association (2021).^[67][68] - Electoral Officer: Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh (2022). - Chairman: Justice Deepak Verma Committee constituted by the High Court of Madhya Pradesh in a Public Interest Litigation (2018).^[69] - Chairman: Three-Member High-Level Committee of the All-India Tennis Association (AITA) (2013).^[70] - Chairperson: High Powered Committee constituted by the High Court of Agartala in a Public Interest Litigation (2022).^[71]

References

1. Deeply Pained By The Plight Of Labourers': Former SC Judge Justice Deepak Verma Contributes Rs. 51 Lakh To PM's Relief Fund - Published on LiveLaw.in. 2. Committee to oversee transfer and import of captive wild animals in India: Supreme Court - Published in The Hindu. 3. Justice Deepak Verma Profile - Published on the website of Technocrats Institute of Technology, Bhopal. 4. Justice Deepak Verma - AIAC Panellist Profile - Published on the AIAC (Asian International Arbitration Centre) website. 5. Justice Deepak Verma Profile (PDF) - Published on the website of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC). 6. SC Expands Ambit of Pan-India High-Powered Committee to Curb Capturing of Wild Elephants - Published in The Wire.