Justice Anant Surendraray Dave of Gujarat High Court passed away today morning. Justice Dave had recently retired and has served as Acting Chief Justice of state High Court between November 2018 and September 2019 before the appointment of the present Chief Justice, Vikram Nath. He had been hospitalized for past two weeks and was undergoing treatment in a critical condition.
Born in December 1957, he enrolled as lawyer in 1984. During his years of legal practice he has served as a standing counsel for the Union Govrnment and as an Additional Government Pleader for the State Government.
He has also served as a Solicitor at the Gujarat High Court, as a Legal Advisor for the Consumer Education and Research Centre, the Sardar Sarovar Nigam Ltd, BSNL, GE Board, GSIC and the Panel of Gujarat High Court Legal Aid Services.
Justice Dave was appointed as a High Court Judge in 2004. His post was made permanent in 2006. Among the notable cases he dealt with was the Sabarmati Express/ Godhra train burning case. A Bench headed by Justice Dave commuted the death penalty for 11 of the convicts to a penalty of life imprisonment. The life sentences given to 20 others was also upheld by this Bench.
