Early life and education
Justice Verma was born on August 28,1947,in Jabalpur to R.P. Verma,who was an eminent lawyer in Madhya Pradesh. His educational journey began with his schooling at institutions such as Christ Church,Mahakaushal High School,and Model High School,and culminated with his matriculation from Naveen Vidya Bhawan in Jabalpur. Following his matriculation,he initially pursued a B.Sc. degree at Government Science College,Jabalpur,but subsequently transitioned to the field of Arts,ultimately completing his B.A. from St. Aloysius College in Jabalpur. Justice Verma then embarked on his legal education journey,earning his LL.B. degree from Jabalpur University. His enrollment as an Advocate occurred in the year 1972,marking the official commencement of his legal career. [22] [23]
Career
Justice Verma's legal career was rooted in civil law,primarily under the guidance of his father,the late Shri R.P. Verma,a distinguished lawyer of his time. He practiced as an Advocate on the civil side until his elevation in 1994. During his tenure as an Administrative Judge of Indore until August 2005,he played a significant role in judicial administration. Subsequently,he continued his service as the Administrative Judge at the High Court of Madhya Pradesh in Jabalpur. [24] [25]
During his tenure as an appellate court judge,he was renowned for his compassion towards underprivileged litigants. As a sitting judge of the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court,Justice Verma was entrusted with the critical role of Welfare Commissioner for the Bhopal Gas Victims,tasked with disbursing compensation to those affected by the tragic Bhopal gas disaster,which is considered the world’s worst industrial disaster involving thousands of deaths and over half a million victims of serious non-fatal injuries. [26] Under his stewardship,a substantial number of victims received their rightful compensation,with diligent efforts made to locate and assist even those who were not traceable despite multiple notices. He is known to have disposed of all matters pending before him by holding sittings for the victims even during public holidays. [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] His judicial career extended beyond Madhya Pradesh when he was transferred as a Judge to the Karnataka High Court in Bangalore on January 2,2008,owing to his seniority. Being the seniormost judge on the bench,he also served as the Acting Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court. On March 4,2009,he was further elevated as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, [32] and he took the oath of office on March 6,2009. Subsequently,he was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India on May 11,2009,where he continued to serve until his retirement on August 28,2012. [33]
Justice Verma's judicial career culminated with his appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India in 2009. During his tenure on the bench,he delivered numerous landmark judgments in a wide array of legal areas,including administrative law,arbitration law,criminal law,constitutional law,insurance law,family law,company law,service law,and taxation,among others. His judgments continue to serve as precedents in various legal matters. [34] [35] He was part of several benches of the Supreme Court of India dealing with critical issues such as the Right to Food,which aimed to ensure the distribution of grain to the poor at "no cost" or "very low cost" as part of the efforts to streamline the Public Distribution System. [36] [37] [38] Additionally,he was part of the bench at the Supreme Court that redefined medical negligence to include cases involving overdose of medicines,failure to inform patients about potential side-effects of drugs,lack of extra care in cases with a high mortality rate,and hospitals failing to provide fundamental amenities to patients. Notably,he also presided over the appeal in the high-profile 1999 Delhi hit-and-run case,among other significant cases. [39] [40] [41]
Post-retirement from the Indian judiciary,Justice Deepak Verma established himself as a prominent arbitrator and mediator in both domestic and international disputes. He has presided over more than 200 domestic and international arbitrations,rendering awards in complex cases valued at several billion dollars. His expertise spans a wide range of sectors,including construction,energy,insurance,maritime,international trade,and more. Additionally,he has provided expert opinions before international tribunals and courts worldwide. [42] [43] [44]
