Ranjana Prakash Desai, a former Supreme Court Judge, has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to public service even after retiring from the bench on October 29, 2014. Far from embracing a quiet retirement, Justice Desai, born on October 30, 1949, has taken on a series of challenging and significant roles, showcasing her continued influence in India's legal and administrative landscape.
Following her retirement from the Supreme Court, Justice Desai's first major role was as the chairperson of the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity, a position she held from December 1, 2014, until October 29, 2019. Shortly after, she was appointed as chairperson of the Advance Ruling Authority (Income Tax), concurrently serving as chairperson of the Lokpal search committee, which was later reconstituted in August 2023 with her at the helm.
In March 2020, Justice Desai was appointed as the chairperson of the Delimitation Commission for Jammu and Kashmir, a crucial and sensitive task involving the redrawing of assembly constituencies. This commission led to the creation of seven new seats, increasing the total to 90. The commission submitted its final report in May 2022, paving the way for assembly polls.
Even as she was completing her tenure with the Delimitation Commission, Justice Desai's expertise was sought for other critical matters. In May 2022, the Uttarakhand government appointed her to lead a committee of experts to draft the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for the state. A month later, the Union government appointed her as the chairperson of the Press Council of India (PCI). After submitting her report on the Uttarakhand UCC, the Gujarat government appointed her as the head of a five-member committee in February of this year to assess the necessity of UCC in Gujarat.
Adding another significant role to her portfolio, Justice Desai was recently appointed as the chairperson of the Eighth Central Pay Commission. This commission is responsible for recommending revisions to the pay, pension, and allowance structures for Central Government employees. She is joined by Pulak Ghosh, a professor at IIM Bangalore, as a member, and Pankaj Jain, Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, as the Member-Secretary. The commission is expected to submit its report within 18 months.
Justice Desai's career is marked by her balanced approach, clarity, fairness, and deep understanding of the principles of justice. Born in Maharashtra, she earned degrees in Arts from Elphinstone College in 1970 and Law from Government Law College, Mumbai, in 1973. She began her legal career working with Justice Pratap and her father, S.G. Samant, a noted criminal lawyer. In 1979, she became a government prosecutor, steadily rising through the ranks to the Bombay High Court and then to the Supreme Court of India. Her work on the bench included upholding the death sentence for Ajmal Kasab, a key figure in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. She was also part of the bench that dismissed CBI's plea for cancellation of Amit Shah's bail in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case while transferring the trial from Ahmedabad to Mumbai.
Through her various appointments, Justice Ranjana Desai continues to contribute significantly to the nation, proving that dedication to justice knows no retirement.
