One more humane judge from Karnataka has parted our company thus creating huge vacuum in legal segment. Some judges go beyond the call of their duty to exhibit simplicity, empathy and discipline to such an extent, they remain in our midst eternally even after they retire. Our remotest posterity shall recall their achievements with pride.
Justice Maletira Ponnappa Chinnappa was born on 1st June 1941 in Virajpet, Kodagu to late Maletira Ponnappa and Mayamma. He had his early education in Virajpet, Bachelor of Arts in Government College, Madikeri and his Bachelor of Laws degree in BMS college, Bangalore.
Upholding the tradition of Coorg, Shri. Chinnappa was a keen sportsman, athlete, hockey and football player. He captained his college hockey and football teams. Even after retirement, he developed a keen interest in snooker and pool and played regularly.
He enrolled as an advocate and practiced in Madikeri, both on civil and criminal sides for 14 years and he was a legal advisor for many institutions.
Shri. Chinnappa was selected as a District and Sessions Judge in the year 1983 as a direct recruit from the Bar. He was the first lawyer to be selected directly from the Kodagu Bar, in which capacity he worked in Bangalore and Belgaum districts.
Shri. Chinnappa was the Presiding Officer of the Karnataka State Transport Appellate Tribunal, Bangalore, Registrar Judicial and later the Registrar General of the High Court of Karnataka. I met him on few occasions when he was Registrar General to resolve few issues pertaining to administration and his interaction was really heartwarming. One day, for a trivial mistake committed by a High Court scrutiny officer, the then judge Justice Rajendra Babu summoned Shri. Chinnappa to open court and openly reprimanded saying “what sort of an institution you are running?”. Shri. Chinnappa simply bowed down and said “I shall immediately attend to it my lord”. (I was present in the court). Any other Judicial Registrar would have in turn summoned the officer concerned and castigated. But Shri. Chinnappa guided the entire staff of the High Court and brought required changes showing utmost compassion. The unkindness received was never passed on to his subordinates.
Shri. Chinnappa was elevated as a judge of the High Court of Karnataka in December 1995. He held this position for nearly 8 years till his retirement in the year 2003 and is credited with many outstanding judgments.
They say integrity is a basic requirement for a Judge. Sometimes even this basic quality is put to test. I personally know how Justice Chinnappa exhibited outstanding temperament in a highly sensational matter from Coorg.
He was the Governor of the Judicial Academy of Karnataka for 3 years and was involved in the training of judicial officers in the State. He was designated as a Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court of India after his retirement.
He was appointed as the One-Man Inquiry Committee by the Government of Karnataka to inquire into allegations against the Vice Chancellor of Women’s University, Bijapur. He was appointed by the Government of Karnataka to probe into certain allegations against IAS officers working in the Secretariat of the Government of Karnataka and the reports have been accepted by the Government.
He was the first Chairman of the Karnataka Police Complaints Authority which post he held for a period of three years.
After his retirement in the year 2003, he was on the board of Bangalore Stock Exchange as one of the Directors up to 2008. He was the Chairman of the Medical Ethics Committee of KIDWAI, Bangalore. He was also the Chairman of Ethics Committee of Manipal Hospital and Chairman of the Fee Committee of Reva Group of Institutions.
He acted as arbitrator in several arbitrations and was regularly appointed by the High Court of Karnataka as an arbitrator.
Justice Chinnappa led the life a true gentleman exhibiting empathy and compassion towards litigants and encouraged junior advocates. Justice Chinnappa passed away on 3 May 2021. I shared the sad news on my social network. By evening I received more than 100 messages from lawyers who appeared before Justice Chinnappa as junior advocates remembering how Justice Chinnappa treated juniors with kindness and how he encouraged them.
The legal fraternity offers deepest condolences to wife Kaveri Chinnappa, sons M. Dhyan Chinnappa and M. Chintan Chinnappa, daughters-in-law Namrata Kolar and Prerna Ponappa and grandson – Smaran Maletira.
But the fact that his sons and daughters in law made Justice Chinnappa proud till the last moment of his life by their own excel in profession ought to console them.
S.Basavaraj, Advocate & Member, Karnataka State Bar Council.
Daksha Legal 