Malimath counselled State on border row

Former Chief Justice of the Karnataka and Kerala High Courts and chairman of the Karnataka Border Protection Commission, Justice V S Malimath passed away on Tuesday night at the Manipal Hospital in the City. He was 86.

He is survived by his son, Justice Ravi Malimath, a judge of the Karnataka High Court, and four daughters.

Sources close to the family said Malimath was admitted to the hospital with viral fever and infection on December 2.

His last rites will be held at the Chamarajpet graveyard on Thursday at 10:30 am.
Justice Malimath was appointed chairman of the Karnataka Border Protection Commission by the Karnataka government in June this year to provide legal counselling on the boundary dispute with Maharashtra and also to look into the issues and problems of the people living in the border areas of Karnataka, particularly in the northern parts of the State.

In a recent interview, Justice Malimath had said he would sacrifice his life to resolve the issues related to the State border and fight legally for the cause till the end.

Malimath was born on June 12, 1929, and had secured first rank in LLB and a postgraduate diploma in Public International Law from the University of London in 1952.
He commenced his practice in the Bombay High Court in 1952 and shifted to Bengaluru in 1956.

He was appointed Advocate General in 1968 and as a judge of the Karnataka High Court in 1970. He was appointed  the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court in 1984 and was transferred to the Kerala High Court in 1985.

After he retired, he was appointed chairman of the Central Administrative Tribunal and member of the National Human Rights Commission. He also headed the committee on the Reform of Criminal Justice System in India.

He was the United Nations representative to monitor human rights enforcement in Nigeria and Sri Lanka and an international observer to oversee the referendum in Sri Lanka.
Malimath was conferred the National Citizen Award by the President of India, Rajyotsava award by the Government of Karnataka and an honorary Doctorate of Law by Karnataka University.