Samaraditya Pal, senior advocate and constitutional expert of the Calcutta High Court, died in New Alipore at the age of 84.
He is survived by his wife, Justice Ruma Pal (retired), a former Calcutta High Court judge.
Pal, who earned his Law degree from the Inner Temple in London, was also known as ‘Bachchu’ in the court and judicial communities.
Veterans of the city’s legal fraternity recall how the deceased lawyer was especially concerned with his juniors, often allowing them to argue matters in extremely important cases.
He testified in several high-profile cases, including Singrur Tata Motors (for Tata) and Panchayat Polls (for WB Election Commission).
In addition to practising at the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court, Pal, wrote a number of books on law and the Indian Constitution, including Law Relating to Public Service, The Law of Contempt-Contempt of Courts and Legislatures, and India’s Constitution-Origins and Evolution.
West Bengal law minister Malay Ghatak, who is also a practising lawyer, expressed his condolences, saying that Late Samaraditya Pal was a moving encyclopedia of law and the Indian Constitution in the true sense.
