&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "An Indian judge once served as President, Vice-President and CJI - Who is he and how was this possible")
For the first time in India’s history, a vice president tendered his resignation. Citing health issues, VP Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked to be relieved of the second-highest constitutional office in the country. The resignation means that for the first time since the turn of the millennium, the vice president's post will be vacant before completing the term. After Dhankhar’s resignation, let's have a look at a famous incident from 1969 when Mohammad Hidayatullah became the first and to date only Indian to serve in the President, Vice President and Chief Justice of India (CJI) office.
Mohammad Hidayatullah’s early life
Appointed as the 11th CJI of the nation by then President Zakir Hussain, Hidayatullah would emboss his name in Indian constitutional history during his tenure. Born in Betul (present-day Madhya Pradesh), Hidayatullah completed higher education at Trinity College at Cambridge University before returning to India. He had earlier completed his schooling at the Government High School of Raipur (now in Chhattisgarh).
It was in 1930 that Hidayatullah first started his law career, having become an advocate in the Nagpur High Court while the nation was still under British rule. Over the years, he would serve as an advocate in Nagpur before taking his first job as a judge. Hidayatullah was appointed as an additional judge in the High Court of Central Provinces and Berar in 1946. He would later become the Chief Justice of the Nagpur High Court in 1954, before his extraordinary journey began.
Having first been appointed as a judge at the Supreme Court in 1958, it was not until 1968 that President Zakir Hussain appointed Hidayatullah as the CJI. However, his appointment would turn out to be a historic moment in the Indian constitution.
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Mohammad Hidayatullah serves in all three offices
While being the CJI of the country from 25 Feb 1968 to 16 Dec 1970, Hidayatullah would act as the acting president of India. When President Zakir Hussain died in office, Vice President V. V. Giri acted as the president. Later, V. V. Giri resigned as the vice president and under the President (Discharge of Functions) Act, 1969, Hidayatullah became the acting president of India first from 20 July to 24 August. As per the Constitution of India, the chief justice of India shall act as the president of India in the event of the offices of both the president and the vice president being vacant.
Having retired from active judicial duties, Hidayatullah was later elected as the vice president of India and served in the office from 31 August 1979 to 30 August 1984. Thereby, he became the first and to date the only Indian to serve in three apex constitutional offices in the largest democracy in the world.
