Former Supreme Court Judge Sailendu Nath Phukan passes away at 83

Former Supreme Court Judge Sailendu Nath Phukan (83) passed away on November 11 at a private hospital in Jorhat, Assam.

Justice Phukan (born on April 1, 1937) joined Jorhat District Bar as Pleader in the year 1960. Thereafter, in 1962, he enrolled as an Advocate and joined the Gauhati High Court Bar in the same year. He was appointed to the Assam Judicial Service in the year 1963 and continued till May 1976.

Justice Phukan joined the Government of Meghalaya on deputation from July 1970 and worked as Under Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and Secretary in the Law Department. He became Law Secretary and Legal Remembrancer in January 1976. He was appointed as a part-time Member of the Meghalaya Board of Revenue and part-time lecturer at Shillong Law College.

Justice Phukan also served as Commissioner for departmental enquiries for the State. He was Legal Adviser of various corporations of the State Govt.

Justice Phukan was appointed as permanent Judge of the Gauhati High Court on October 11, 1985. He was transferred to Himachal Pradesh High Court on September 30, 1994 and was appointed as Chief Justice of that High Court on March 1, 1995. He was later transferred to the Orissa High Court on August 2, 1996.

Justice Phukan was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India on January 28, 1999 and retired on March 31, 2002.