{{Short description|Indian judge (1927–2023)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Fathima Beevi | image = Justice Fathima Beevi.JPG | order1 = 11th | office1 = Governor of Tamil Nadu | 1blankname1 = Chief Minister | 1namedata1 = M. Karunanidhi<br />J. Jayalalithaa | term_start1 = 25 January 1997 | term_end1 = 3 July 2001 | predecessor1 = Krishan Kant<br />(Additional Charge) | successor1 = C. Rangarajan<br />(Additional Charge) | office2 = Member of National Human Rights Commission of India | term_start2 = 1993 | term_end2 = 1997 | predecessor2 = | successor2 = | office3 = Judge of the Supreme Court of India | term_start3 = 6 October 1989 | term_end3 = 29 April 1992 | nominator3 = E. S. Venkataramiah | appointer3 = R. Venkataraman | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1927|04|30|df=yes}} | birth_place = Pathanamthitta, Travancore, India<br />(present day Kerala, India) | death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|11|23|1927|04|30|df=yes}} | death_place = Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India | party = | other_party = | spouse = | alma_mater = {{Unbulleted_list|Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram|University College Thiruvananthapuram}} | profession = | signature = }}
'''M. Fathima Beevi''' (30 April 1927 – 23 November 2023) was an Indian judge who was a justice of the Supreme Court of India. Appointed to the apex Court in 1989, she became the first female judge of the Supreme Court of India,<ref>{{Citation|title=Interview: India's First Woman SC Judge| date=27 April 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPvztrIfL6E |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/sPvztrIfL6E| archive-date=12 December 2021 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=9 October 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="supremecourtofindia">{{cite web|url=http://supremecourtofindia.nic.in/judges/bio/mfbeevi.htm|title=M. FATHIMA BEEVI|publisher=supremecourtofindia.nic.in|access-date=15 January 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205061057/http://supremecourtofindia.nic.in/judges/bio/mfbeevi.htm|archive-date=5 December 2008}}</ref><ref name="indiaepostoffice">{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaepostoffice.com/women47/index3.html|title=Welcome to Women Era....|access-date=15 January 2009|archive-date=25 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225230605/http://www.indiaepostoffice.com/women47/index3.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://nrcw.nic.in/index2.asp?sublinkid=478 |title=Women in Judiciary |publisher=NRCW, Government of India |access-date=15 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223174826/http://nrcw.nic.in/index2.asp?sublinkid=478 |archive-date=23 December 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.womenofindia.net/FIRST_WOMEN.htm|title=FIRST WOMEN OF INDIA |publisher=womenofindia.net|access-date=16 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20010528/cover.shtml|title=Convict Queen|publisher=india-today.com|access-date=16 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203185846/http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20010528/cover.shtml|archive-date=3 December 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="highcourtofkerala" /> and the first Muslim woman to be appointed to any of the higher judiciaries in the country. On her retirement from the court, she served as a member of the National Human Rights Commission and later as the Governor of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu from 1997 to 2001. In 2023, she was honoured with Kerala Prabha Award, the second-highest honour given by the Government of Kerala.<ref name="indiaepostoffice" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tnrajbhavan.gov.in/PastGovernors.htm|title=Raj Bhavan Chennai: Past Governors|publisher=Governor's Secretariat Raj Bhavan, Chennai – 600 022|access-date=15 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.assembly.tn.gov.in/archive/list/governors1946.htm|title=Governors of Tamil Nadu since 1946|publisher=tn.gov.in|access-date=15 January 2009}}</ref> In the 2024 honours list, she was posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.padmaawards.gov.in/Content/PadmaAwardees2024.pdf|title=Padma Awardees List 2024|website=Padma Awards|date=25 January 2024|access-date=25 January 2024}}</ref>
==Early life and education== M. Fathima Beevi was born on 30 April 1927 at Pathanamthitta in the Kingdom of Travancore, now in the Indian state of Kerala, as the daughter of Annaveettil Meer Sahib and Khadeeja Beevi into the Rowther family.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ivayana |date=2020-08-18 |title=തുളുക്കപ്പട അഥവാ റാവുത്തർമാർ .... Mansoor Naina |url=https://www.ivayana.com/?p=3011 |access-date=2025-06-01 |website=Ivayana |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=How a Kerala Woman Made History By Becoming India's 1st Female Supreme Court Judge|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/127700/fathima-beevi-kerala-indias-first-female-supreme-court-judge/|access-date=6 February 2018|work=thebetterindia.com}}</ref>
Beevi attended Town school and Catholicate High School, Pathanamthitta and got her BSc in chemistry from women's college, Thiruvananthapuram. She obtained her LL.B. from Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram.<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 November 2023 |title=Justice Fathima Beevi: Small town girl who breached glass ceiling to become first woman SC judge |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/justice-fathima-beevi-small-town-girl-who-breached-glass-ceiling-to-become-first-woman-sc-judge/articleshow/105450302.cms |access-date=24 November 2023 |issn=0013-0389}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=24 November 2023 |title=First woman judge of SC Fathima Beevi dies at 96; tributes pour in |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/first-woman-judge-of-sc-fathima-beevi-dies-at-96-tributes-pour-in-101700764767183.html |access-date=24 November 2023 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>
==Career== Beevi was enrolled as Advocate on 14 November 1950. She topped the Bar Council exam in 1950. She began her career in the lower judiciary in Kerala. She was appointed the Munsiff in the Kerala Sub-ordinate Judicial Services in May 1958. She was promoted as the Sub-ordinate Judge in 1968 and as the Chief Judicial Magistrate in 1972, as District & Sessions Judge in 1974.<ref name="supremecourtofindia" />
In January 1980, Beevi was appointed the Judicial Member of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal. She was then elevated to the High Court as a Judge on 4 August 1983.<ref name="supremecourtofindia" /><ref name="highcourtofkerala">{{cite web|url=http://highcourtofkerala.nic.in/frmrjudges.html|title=High Court of Kerala: Former Judges|publisher=highcourtofkerala.nic.in|access-date=16 January 2009}}</ref>
Beevi became permanent Judge of the High Court on 14 May 1984. She retired as the Judge of the High Court on 29 April 1989 but was further elevated to the Supreme Court as a Judge on 6 October 1989 where she retired on 29 April 1992.<ref name="supremecourtofindia" />
thumb|200x200px|Supreme Court of India
== Governor of Tamil Nadu == Beevi later went on to become the Governor of Tamil Nadu on 25 January 1997.<ref name="supremecourtofindia" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indianofficer.com/forums/india-world/748-women-governors-india.html |title=Women Governors in India |date=16 April 2007 |publisher=.indianofficer.com |access-date=16 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080305133437/http://www.indianofficer.com/forums/india-world/748-women-governors-india.html |archive-date=5 March 2008 }}</ref> Appointing her as the Governor of Tamil Nadu and Justice Sukhdev Singh Kang, former Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, as Governor of Kerala, the then President of India, Shankar Dayal Sharma said "Their experience of and insights into the working of the Constitution and the laws comprise valuable assets."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaabroad.com/news/jun/03sharma.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713025520/http://www.indiaabroad.com/news/jun/03sharma.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 July 2011|title=We should show the world we are capable of tackling any crisis'|publisher=Rediff on the net|access-date=16 January 2009}}</ref>
As the Governor of the state, she rejected the mercy petitions filed by the four condemned prisoners in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. The prisoners had sent the mercy petitions to the Governor, pleading for her to exercise her power under Article 161 of the Constitution (the Governor's power to grant pardon).<ref>{{Cite web|title=tribuneindia... Nation|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99nov03/nation.htm|access-date=16 June 2021|website=The Tribune|location=Chandigarh}}</ref>
=== Controversy === Beevi was embroiled in controversy when she gave a clean chit to the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu that prompted the ire of the Central government. The Minister for Law, Arun Jaitley asked for her resignation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2001/07/05/stories/02050001.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103183347/http://www.hindu.com/2001/07/05/stories/02050001.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 November 2012|title=Jaitley justifies Fathima Beevi's removal |date=5 July 2001|access-date=15 January 2009|work=The Hindu|location=Chennai, India}}</ref> Later she left her office as Governor of the state under controversial circumstances of her accepting Jayalalithaa's assembly majority after the elections<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/41943699.cms|title=Jayalalitha sworn in as chief minister|date=15 May 2001<!--, 1006 hrs-->|work=The Times of India|access-date=15 January 2009}}</ref> and over the arrest of Karunanidhi,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010702/nation.htm|title=Central team meets Governor|date=1 July 2001|publisher=The Tribune India|access-date=15 January 2009}}</ref> who pitched for her appointment four years ago.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/jul/03tn1.htm|title=A quiet governor leaves a storm behind|work=Rediff.com|access-date=15 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/jul/04rajeev.htm|title=Mala fide in Madras|date=4 July 2001 |work=Rediff.com|access-date=15 January 2009}}</ref> Jayalalitha defended the state Governor's decision to invite her to form the government. She said "She is a former supreme court judge. She herself is a legal expert. Nobody need teach her about law or the constitution. Her decision is not justiciable."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/42166967.cms|title=Jaya defends Governor's action|date=17 May 2001<!--, 1549 hrs IST-->|work=The Times of India}}</ref> Jayalalitha's party had received the simple majority (131 seats out of total 234 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly) after elections in May 2001. Fathima Beevi, the then Governor of Tamil Nadu administered the oath of office to J Jayalalitha as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on 14 May 2001 in spite of the fact that Jayalalitha could not contest the election and would not be able to get herself elected by the people to the assembly within six months as per the constitution. There were a few Public Interest Litigations (PIL) filed in the Supreme Court questioning the validity of her appointment as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2001/05/31/stories/02310003.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107183908/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2001/05/31/stories/02310003.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 November 2012|title='Unfettered powers' of Governor to appoint CM challenged |date= 31 May 2001|access-date=16 January 2009|location=Chennai, India|first=Our|work=The Hindu|last=Legal}}</ref> Fathima Beevi justified her decision by saying that the majority party in the state assembly had elected Jayalalitha as their leader.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nilacharal.com/news/rajan/rajan201.html|title=Landmark Judgment- Part 1 |access-date=16 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindujobs.com/thehindu/2001/09/22/stories/01220002.htm |title=Fathima Beevi defends her action |date=22 September 2001 |work=The Hindu |access-date=16 January 2009 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522064325/http://www.thehindujobs.com/thehindu/2001/09/22/stories/01220002.htm |archive-date=22 May 2011 }}</ref>
Fathima Beevi submitted her resignation after the Union Cabinet decided to recommend to the President to recall the Governor for having failed to discharge her constitutional obligation. The centre was peeved with Fathima Beevi for not having furnished an independent and objective assessment of the sequence of events after the arrest of the former Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, and the two Union Ministers, Murasoli Maran and T. R. Baalu. The centre had accused her of toeing the official line verbatim. The then Andhra Pradesh Governor, Dr C. Rangarajan, took charge as the acting Governor of Tamil Nadu, following her resignation.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/businessline/2001/07/04/stories/140460j2.htm |title = Rangarajan is acting TN Governor |date = 4 July 2001 |work = Business Line |access-date = 15 January 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070102124031/http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/businessline/2001/07/04/stories/140460j2.htm |archive-date = 2 January 2007 }}</ref>
Subsequently, the Supreme Court of India overturned her appointment of Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Referring to the case, the Court Bench ruled that "The Governor cannot, in the exercise of his/her discretion or otherwise, do anything that is contrary to the Constitution and the laws. Therefore, the Governor, having due regard to the Constitution and the laws, must decline to exercise the discretion in appointing as Chief Minister a non-member who was not qualified to become a member of the legislature."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindujobs.com/thehindu/2001/09/22/stories/01220001.htm |title=SC unseats Jayalalithaa as CM |date=22 September 2001 |work=The Hindu |access-date=16 January 2009 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522064344/http://www.thehindujobs.com/thehindu/2001/09/22/stories/01220001.htm |archive-date=22 May 2011 }}</ref>
=== Other duties=== As the Governor of the state she had also served as the Chancellor of Madras University. It was reported by university sources that the Vice-Chancellor, P. T. Manoharan, had decided to quit his office in the wake of the Chancellor allegedly withholding her approval to the Syndicate's decision to establish a new department for contemporary Tamil literature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99mar10/spotlite.htm|title=Madras varsity VC quits|date=10 March 1999|work=The Tribune|location=Chandigarh|access-date=16 January 2009}}</ref> She had also served as the Chairman of Kerala Commission for Backward Classes (1993) and member of National Human Rights Commission (1993). She received Hon. D. Litt. and Mahila Shiromani Award in 1990.<ref name="Who">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SK-81iI6NJQC&pg=PA517|title=The International Who's Who 2004|year=2003|publisher=Europa Publications|isbn=9781857432176|editor-last=Sleeman|editor-first=Elizabeth|edition=67|pages=517}}</ref> She was also awarded ''Bharat Jyoti'' Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dlis.du.ac.in/Faculty%20Members/Shailendra%20Kumar.htm |title=Bharat Jyoti Award |publisher=Delhi University |access-date=16 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515101248/http://dlis.du.ac.in/Faculty%20Members/Shailendra%20Kumar.htm |archive-date=15 May 2009 }}</ref>
The left parties also discussed the nomination of the prospects of Fathima Beevi as the President of India, during which the NDA Government proposed the name of Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam.<ref name="APJ">{{cite book|author=K. Bhushan, G. Katyal|title=A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: The Visionary of India|publisher=APH Publishing|year=2002|pages=185|isbn=9788176483803|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W3K3wQsM9PUC}}</ref>
== Death == Fathima Beevi died on 23 November 2023, at the age of 96.<ref>{{cite news |title=India's First Female Supreme Court Judge Justice Fathima Beevi Passes Away |url= https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/justice-fathima-beevi-passes-away-first-female-supreme-court-judge-242830 |access-date=23 November 2023 |publisher=Live Law |date=23 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=न्यायमूर्ति फातिमा बीवी का निधन, प्रधानमंत्री मोदी ने जताया शोक|url=https://postinshort.in/news/india/justice-fatima-beevi-passes-away-prime-minister-modi-expresses-grief |accessdate=24 November 2023 |publisher=Post Inshort |date=24 November 2023 |language=hi}}</ref>
== See also == * Anna Chandy
== References == {{Commons category|Fathima Beevi}} {{Reflist}}
{{Governors of Tamil Nadu}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beevi, Fatima}} Category:1927 births Category:2023 deaths Category:20th-century Indian Muslims Category:Women state governors of India Category:20th-century Indian women politicians Category:20th-century Indian politicians Category:20th-century Indian judges Category:Malayali people Category:Governors of Tamil Nadu Category:People from Pathanamthitta district Category:Justices of the Supreme Court of India Category:Judges of the Madras High Court Category:Women in Tamil Nadu politics Category:20th-century Indian lawyers Category:Women in Kerala politics Category:Women from the Kingdom of Travancore Category:People from the Kingdom of Travancore Category:21st-century Indian women politicians Category:21st-century Indian politicians Category:Former judges of Indian high courts Category:High Court of Kerala former judges Category:Women educators from Kerala Category:Educators from Kerala Category:20th-century Indian women judges Category:21st-century Indian judges Category:Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram, alumni Category:Kerala Prabha Award Winners