Former CJI U.U. Lalit Appointed Professor Emeritus at SRM Law School

Kattankulathur: Uday Umesh Lalit, former Chief Justice of India, has been appointed Professor Emeritus at the School of Law, SRM Institute of Science and Technology.

A distinguished jurist elevated directly from the Bar to the Supreme Court, Justice Lalit is known for key rulings on constitutional rights, including the Shayara Bano v. Union of India verdict that struck down instant triple talaq and Joseph Shine v. Union of India, which decriminalised adultery.

During his visit, he delivered a lecture on “Parliamentary Privileges,” explaining their constitutional basis and role in safeguarding legislative independence. He emphasised that such privileges are institutional safeguards, not personal benefits.

Referring to Article 194, Justice Lalit noted that legislative privileges have evolved through judicial interpretation and must be balanced with fundamental rights. He cited cases such as M.S.M. Sharma v. Sri Krishna Sinha and Tej Kiran Jain v. N. Sanjiva Reddy to highlight this balance.

Encouraging students to read judgments in full, he stressed clarity in legal reasoning and adherence to professional ethics. An interactive session followed with discussions on constitutional interpretation and judicial oversight.

Prof. P. Sree Sudha, Dean, SRM School of Law, said the appointment would inspire students and strengthen legal learning. The session was attended by faculty and students and concluded with a vote of thanks.