A senior lawyer and Padma Vibhushan recipient, Soli Sorabjee was being treated at a private hospital in Delhi.

Soli Jehangir Sorabjee was born in Mumbai in 1930. (File)New Delhi: 

Former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee, one of India’s finest legal minds, died of Covid this morning. He was 91.

A senior lawyer and Padma Vibhushan recipient, Soli Sorabjee was being treated at a private hospital in Delhi.

Soli Jehangir Sorabjee was born in Mumbai in 1930. He started his law practice in 1953 with the Bombay High Court. In 1971, he was designated senior counsel by the Supreme Court.

His full name was Soli Jehangir Sorabjee. He was a eminent human rights advocate. In 1997, the United Nations had appointed him Special Rapporteur for Nigeria to report on the human rights situation in the country. He also served as a member and Chairman of the UN-Sub Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights between 1998 and 2004. Soli Sorabjee had served as a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague from 2000 to 2006.

Sorabjee had always favoured good reforms and ideas. He had favoured the idea of ‘One Nation-One Poll’ saying that the idea deserves a try. He had also said that slogans which are critical of the government are not anti-national and do not amount to sedition.

Notably, Soli Sorabjee had termed the decision taken by the Central government to scrap Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as unwise. “I don’t think there is anything revolutionary here. It’s a political decision, even though it is not a wise decision,” he had said.

Political leaders expressed their grief over his demise. “The gentle giant Soli Sorabjee passed away this morning. Always ready to lend a helping hand Soli Sir leaves behind countless admirers & many memories. My condolences to the family in this hour of grief,” said Smriti Irani in a tweet.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “Saddened to hear that former Attorney General Shri Soli Sorabjee is no more. His legal acumen is well known and appreciated. His articulation was infused with subtlety and was always polite. A graceful presence in any discussion. A great human being.”

Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said, “My neighbour-common wall—Soli #Sorabjee-passes away. Went 2max late nite a week ago with #covid but per wife #Zena was stable &ok, only fidgety at being alone. Happy 2get their house fumigated at Zena rqst. Suddenly, heart stopped last nite & cld nt be revived. Long association.”

Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “The bad news just doesn’t end. One of the most eminent names in the legal fraternity is no more. Heartfelt condolences to Shri Soli Sorabjee’s family, friends and loved ones.”

Mr Sorabjee became Attorney General first in 1989 and then from 1998 to 2004.

A passionate human rights lawyer, Mr Sorabjee was appointed a UN Special Rapporteur for Nigeria in 1997.

He joined the UN Sub-Commission on Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and was its chairman from 1998 to 2004. He was also a member of the UN Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities.

Mr Sorabjee served as a member of the UN world court or the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague from 2000 to 2006.

In 2002, he became a member of the Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution of India.

The legal titan was involved in many landmark Supreme Court cases and argued for free speech and press freedom, limiting the police power of the state and a vibrant democracy protected from overreach by Prime Ministers and Governors.

CommentsA prolific writer, he was known for his love for Jazz.