CHENNAI: Two days after Justice Viswanathan Ratnam passed away in the city on Saturday, he was found to be COVID positive, confirmed corporation officials.
A resident of Mylapore, the 87-year-old was the former Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court and former acting Governor of Himachal Pradesh. Later, he retired in 1994 after which he and his family shifted to Chennai. He is survived by his wife, daughter and two grandchildren.
“His family members have been duly informed,” said a Corporation official.
Justice Ratnam was acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court in 1992. Earlier, he had taken charge as an Executive Committee member of the Tamil Nadu Legal Aid Board from where he was promoted to the Bench.
Ratnam was born in 1932. He passed B.Sc., LL.B and was enrolled as an Advocate on 25 July 1955. He started practice on Civil and Labour matters in the Madras High Court.
Ratnam became the member of the Executive Committee of the Tamil Nadu Legal Aid Board. On 25 January 1979, he was appointed as permanent Judge of Madras High Court.
Since 15 November 1992, he also took charge of the Acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court. Justice Ratnam was elevated in the post of Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court on 29 January 1994 and retired on 1 August 1994 from the post.