Honourable Mr. Mahommedali Currim Chagla was the first
permanent Indian Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court on the
attainment of Independence. His Lordship was born on September
30, 1900, in a well-known merchant family of Bombay. In 1922 he
took the degree of B.A. achieving distinction in the Honours School of
Modern History and was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple. In 1927
he was appointed Professor of Constitutional Law at the
Government Law College, Bombay. His Lordship soon began to make
headway at the Bar and was Honorary Secretary to the Bombay Bar
Council. In 1941was elevated to the Bench of the
Bombay High Court as Puisne Judge after the retirement of Mr. Justice
B.J.Wadia. His Lordship was most assiduous in his attention to the
prefect discharge of his duties and maintained the prestige, dignity
and independence of his high Judicial Office. His Lordship
scrupulously followed four things that belong to a Judge : to hear
courteously, to answer wisely, to consider soberly, and to decide
impartially. The lucidity with which he analysed the evidence of
a very complicated nature, and the directness with which he came
swiftly to his conclusions both upon facts and law, bear ample
testimony to the acute grasp of a master mind. His
Lordship's judgments, were chiefly based on sound first principles, and
bear the impress of great perception. During the eleven years that
he administered justice from his exalted office, he won great
esteem and respect by his legal acumen, high character, and gracious
and kindly manner. The vigour and clarity of his mind, coupled
with his wide knowledge and experience which he brought to his high
office, secured him the distinction of being are of the great Judicial
figures in the history of the Bombay High Court. His Lordship retired
as Chief Justice of Bombay High Court on 26th October,1958. After his
retirement as Chief Justice, he was appointed as Indian Ambassador to
U.S.A, there was transfer of Honourable Mr. M.C. Chagla from judicial
to the political and diplomatic sphere .
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