View source for V. R. Krishna Iyer

{{Short description|Indian judge (1915–2014)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix    = [[Justice (title)|Justice]]
| name                = V. R. Krishna Iyer
| image               = V.R.Krishna Iyer.jpg
| birth_date          = {{Birth date|df=yes|1915|11|15}}
| birth_place         = [[Palakkad district|Palghat]], [[Malabar District]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]]<br>(present day [[Palakkad district|Palakkad]], [[Kerala]], India)
| death_date          = {{Death date and age|2014|12|04|1915|11|15|df=yes}}
| death_place         = [[Kochi]], [[Ernakulam district|Ernakulam]],  [[Kerala]], India
| nationality         = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| spouse              = {{Marriage| Sarada|1941|1974|end=died}}
| blank1              = Autobiography
| data1               = ''Wandering in Many Worlds''
| awards              = [[Padma Vibhushan]]
}}

'''[[Justice (title)|Justice]] Vaidyanathapuram Rama Iyer Krishna Iyer''' (15 November 1915 – 4 December 2014) was an Indian judge<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.livelaw.in/v-r-krishna-iyer-super-judge/|title=V.R. Krishna Iyer – The Super Judge (1st VRK Memorial Lecture by Fali Nariman)|date=2016-10-28|work=Live Law|access-date=2017-08-06}}</ref> who became a pioneer of judicial activism. He pioneered the [[Legal aid|legal-aid]] movement in the country. Before that, he was a state minister and politician.

As an activist lawyer, he served jail terms for the cause of his poor and underprivileged clients.<ref>{{cite news|title=A voice for the poor and deprived fades away|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/vr-krishna-iyer-19152014/article6662417.ece|access-date=6 December 2014|work=The Hindu(Kochi Bureau)|date=4 December 2014}}</ref><ref name="express1">{{cite news|last1=Philip|first1=Shaju|title=Former Supreme Court judge V R Krishna Iyer dead|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/2230652former-supreme-court-judge-and-renowned-legal-luminary-v-r-krishna-iyer/|access-date=6 December 2014|publisher=The Indian Express (Thiruvananthapuram)|date=5 December 2014}}</ref> He was seen as a human-rights activist,<ref name="Singapore">{{Cite journal|last1=Dam|first1=Shubhankar|title=Criminal Rights and Constitutional Wrongs: A View from India (page 718)|journal=Singapore Academy of Law Journal|publisher=(2013) 25 SAcLJ|pages=714–735|url=http://www.sal.org.sg/digitallibrary/Lists/SAL%20Journal/Attachments/652/%282013%29%2025%20SAcLJ%20714-735%20%28Shubhankar%20Dam%29.pdf#page=5|access-date=8 December 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219134514/http://www.sal.org.sg/digitallibrary/Lists/SAL%20Journal/Attachments/652/%282013%29%2025%20SAcLJ%20714-735%20%28Shubhankar%20Dam%29.pdf#page=5|archive-date=19 December 2014}}</ref> and also campaigned for social justice and the environment.<ref name="Preston">{{cite web|url=http://www.lec.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/prestoncj%20krishna%20iyer%20j%20paper%20for%20festschrift.pdf|title=A précis of Justice Krishna Iyer 's contribution to the environmental jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of India|last1=Preston|first1=Hon. Justice Brian J|date=5 August 2013|website=The Land and Environment Court of New South Wales, Australia|access-date=7 December 2014}}</ref> A sports enthusiast and a prolific author,<ref name="many lives">{{cite news|title=The Many Lives of Justice Krishna Iyer|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/The-Many-Lives-of-Justice-Krishna-Iyer/2014/12/05/article2556197.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223093400/http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/The-Many-Lives-of-Justice-Krishna-Iyer/2014/12/05/article2556197.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 December 2014|access-date=8 December 2014|work=The Indian Express|agency=(News Bureau)|date=5 December 2014}}</ref> he was conferred with the [[Padma Vibhushan]] in 1999. His judgements continue to be cited in the higher judiciary.

==Early life and education ==
Krishna Iyer was born in a [[Tamil Brahmin]] family<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-12-04|title=Justice V.R.Krishna Iyer passes away|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/445593/justice-vrkrishna-iyer-passes-away.html|access-date=2022-01-15|website=Deccan Herald|language=en}}</ref> on 15 November 1915 in Vaidyanathapuram village in [[Palakkad]], which was part of the then [[Malabar region]] of the then [[Madras]] State, to a lawyer father, Rama Iyer, and Narayani Ammal. He was the eldest among the seven children born to his parents, among whom, the youngest, [[V. R. Lakshminarayanan]], served as the [[Director General of Police]] in [[Tamil Nadu Police]]. He inherited from his father an avid interest in the community around and using the law for the benefit of those more in need.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305617907|title=Balancing Power: Analysing Socially Transformative Jurisprudence of VR Krishna Iyer through New Genre Leadership Theory (Working Paper)|last1=Kylasam Iyer|first1=Deepa|last2=Kuriakose|first2=Francis|date=July 2016|website=ResearchGate|language=en|access-date=2017-08-06}}</ref>

Iyer was educated at [[Basel Evangelical Mission Parsi High School, Thalassery]],[[Government vocational higher secondary school, Koyilandy]],[[Government Victoria College, Palakkad]], [[Annamalai University]], and at [[Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gopakumar |first1=K. c |title=Leaving a light, Justice Krishna Iyer passes away |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Justice-Krishna-Iyer-passes-away/article60497897.ece |work=The Hindu |date=4 December 2014 |language=en-IN}}</ref> He started practice in his father's chamber in 1938 at Thalassery, Malabar.<ref name="express1"/> In 1948, when he protested the evil of torture by police for interrogation, he was imprisoned for a month on a fabricated charge of giving legal assistance to communists.<ref name="many lives"/>

==Career ==

=== Legal Practice ===
Iyer joined the Bar in 1938, beginning his practice in the chambers of his father, V.V. Rama Aiyar, who was a lawyer in [[Thalassery]] in the State of Kerala.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Venkatesan|first=V.|date=2014-12-24|title=Justice at heart|language=en|work=Frontline|url=http://www.frontline.in/other/obituary/justice-at-heart/article6719090.ece|access-date=2017-08-06}}</ref>

=== Political career ===
Iyer was elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1952, from Kuthuparamba as a non-party, independent candidate, and served until 1956.<ref name="express1" /> In 1957, Iyer stood for elections again from the Thalassery constituency as an independent candidate. He was supported by the [[Communist Party of India]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Suresh|first=Sreelakshmi|title=V.R.KRISHNA IYER|url=http://www.stateofkerala.in/niyamasabha/v_r_krishna_iyer.php|access-date=2020-08-19|website=Kerala Niyam Sabha|language=en}}</ref> He was a Minister between 1957 and 1959 in the government led by [[E. M. S. Namboodiripad]], holding the portfolios for Home, Law, Prison, Electricity, Irrigation, Social Welfare and Inland Water.<ref name=":2" /> He initiated legal-aid to the poor, jail reforms incorporating the [[Prisoners' rights|rights of prisoners]], and set up more courts and rescue homes for women and children.<ref name="express1" /><ref name="many lives" /> He got several labour and land reform laws passed. He resolved an inter-state water dispute between the newly formed neighbouring states, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. When this government was dismissed by the central government, he resumed legal practice in August 1959. He lost the 1965 assembly election, which he again contested as an independent candidate.

=== Judicial career ===
He was appointed a judge of the Kerala High Court on 12 July 1968.<ref name=":0" /> He was elevated as judge of the [[Supreme Court of India]] on 17 July 1973. Following this, a group of lawyers had written a letter published in ''[[The Times of India]]'', objecting to his appointment as a judge.<ref name=":0" />

=== Law Commission of India ===
Iyer was a member of the [[Law Commission of India]] from 1971 to 1973 where he drafted a comprehensive report, which would lead to the [[Legal aid|legal-aid]] movement in the country.<ref name="express1" />

== Jurisprudence ==
Iyer made notable contributions in the field of constitutional law, focusing on social, political, and civil rights. He was noted for his use of literary references in his judgments.<ref name=":0" />

=== Public Interest Litigation ===
Iyer made notable contributions to [[Public interest litigation in India|public interest litigation]] at the Supreme Court of India, and relaxed the rules regarding standing in a number of cases in order to allow the Court to hear and decide on socially significant matters. On a number of occasions, Iyer utilised the Supreme Court's ''suo motu'' jurisdiction to hear cases based on letters or postcards written to the Court, raising awareness about social concerns.<ref name=":0" /> Along with Justice [[P. N. Bhagwati]], he introduced the concept of [[Public Interest Litigation|PILs (Public Interest Litigations)]] or "people's involvement" in the country's courts with a series of cases.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Preston|first1=Hon. Justice Brian J|date=5 August 2013|title=A précis of Justice Krishna Iyer 's contribution to the environmental jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of India|url=http://www.lec.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/prestoncj%20krishna%20iyer%20j%20paper%20for%20festschrift.pdf#page=7|access-date=7 December 2014|website=The Land and Environment Court of New South Wales, Australia|pages=7}}</ref> This revolutionary tool, initially used by public-spirited citizens to file PILs on behalf of sections of society unable to on their own, continues to bring in unheard changes in the day-to-day lives of the people even now, decades later.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Andhyarujina|first1=T. R.|date=6 August 2012|title=Disturbing trends in judicial activism|work=The Hindu|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/disturbing-trends-in-judicial-activism/article3732377.ece|access-date=8 December 2014}}</ref> Observing this, he states: ? <ref>{{cite journal|last1=Krishna Iyer|first1=Justice V. R.|date=1 February 2003|title=A democratic demand|url=http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl2003/stories/20030214003309700.htm|journal=Frontline|volume=20|issue=3|access-date=10 December 2014}}</ref>

=== Jurisprudence during the Emergency ===
In June 1975, the Allahabad High Court had ruled that Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]]'s election to Parliament was unlawful, and barred her from it for another six years. Iyer was on the bench that heard an appeal against this order in the Supreme Court. In ''Indira Gandhi v Raj Narain'', he ruled that although Mrs. Gandhi could no longer be a Member of Parliament, she was entitled to retain her position as Prime Minister.<ref name=":0" />

Rebuffing favour-seekers, he heard a challenge to this order in the Supreme Court. He was both blamed for granting a conditional stay and praised for refusing an unconditional stay.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Andhyarujina|first1=T. R.|date=6 December 2014|title=Justice for the helpless|work=The Indian Express|url=http://epaper.indianexpress.com/389864/Indian-Express-Mumbai/06-December-2014#page/13/3|access-date=10 December 2014|archive-date=15 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215075129/http://epaper.indianexpress.com/389864/Indian-Express-Mumbai/06-December-2014#page/13/3|url-status=dead}}</ref> Interpreting this as losing the popular mandate to rule, the Opposition called for her resignation. The next day she declared a [[Emergency (India)|state of Emergency]] in the country.<ref>{{cite book|author=Ananth V. Krishna|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8v7Vr2iQUHkC&pg=PA149|title=India Since Independence: Making Sense of Indian Politics|date=1 September 2011|publisher=Pearson Education India|isbn=978-81-317-3465-0|page=149}}</ref>

=== Social Rights ===
Iyer wrote judgments in several notable cases concerning social rights.  These included ''[[Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India]]'', in which he held that Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which protects the right to life and liberty, must be interpreted widely to include several social rights.<ref>{{cite web|date=25 January 1978|title=Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India|url=http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgs1.aspx?filename=5154#page=115|access-date=11 December 2014|website=(page 115 of 154 - Supreme Court of India)|publisher=[1978 AIR 597] [1978 SCR (2) 621] [1978 SCC (1) 248]|archive-date=11 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211032931/http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgs1.aspx?filename=5154#page=115|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the Ratlam Municipality case, he started a trend for judges to leave the courtroom and go out and see,<ref>{{cite book|author=Sudhanshu Ranjan|title=Justice, Judocracy and Democracy in India: Boundaries and Breaches|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vf4jAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT69|date=21 March 2014|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-317-80977-7|page=69}}</ref> the situation on the ground.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lec.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/prestoncj%20krishna%20iyer%20j%20paper%20for%20festschrift.pdf#page=8|title=A précis of Justice Krishna Iyer's contribution to the environmental jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of India|last1=Preston|first1=Hon. Justice Brian J|date=5 August 2013|website=The Land and Environment Court of New South Wales, Australia|pages=8|access-date=7 December 2014}}</ref> Moreover, this case would be a forerunner of cases which would be decided later on, on the concepts of "[[precautionary principle]]", "[[polluter pays]]" and "[[Sustainability|sustainable development]]".<ref name="Greiber2006">{{cite book|author=Thomas Greiber|title=Judges and the Rule of Law: Creating the Links : Environment, Human Rights and Poverty : Papers and Speeches from an IUCN Environmental Law Programme (ELP) Side Event at the 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC) Held in Bangkok, Thailand, 17-25 November 2004|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4XRa98xh8T0C&pg=PA28|year=2006|publisher=IUCN|isbn=978-2-8317-0915-4|page=28}}</ref> In Muthamma's case, Iyer called for breaking the 'glass ceiling' with gender parity in traditional practices in public employment.

=== Civil and Political Rights ===
Iyer ruled in several cases that aimed to secure against custodial violence, ruling on bail conditions as well as regarding legal aid for detainees.<ref name="express1" /> Iyer also ruled against the practice of establishing special courts for cases involving politically connected persons.<ref name=":1" /> Iyer advocating criminal justice based on corrective measures, and opposed retributive justice, calling for therapies such as meditation within prison environments to help decrease recidivism.<ref name=":3" /> He also ruled against the practice of solitary confinement.<ref name="autobio" />

Iyer was an opponent of the death penalty, laying down the standard that it could only be imposed in the "rarest of rare" cases.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lethal Lottery The Death Penalty in India: A study of Supreme Court judgments in death penalty cases 1950-2006 (pages 63-72)|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa20/007/2008/en/|access-date=14 December 2014|publisher=Amnesty International India and People's Union for Civil Liberties (Tamil Nadu & Puducherry) May 2008|pages=1–244}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> In ''Ediga Anamma v State of Andhra Pradesh,'' he established the jurisprudence governing the commuting of death sentences to imprisonment for life, identifying mitigating factors that could be applied in such cases.<ref name=":0" />

==Public life post-retirement and death==
He retired as a judge on 14 November 1980 but, continued to advocate the cause of justice, on every forum and through his writings, participating in street protests,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20111211/1889087.html|title=Vaiko shocked over Krishna Iyer's participation in Human Chain stir|date=11 December 2011|website=webindia123.com|access-date=2017-08-07|archive-date=7 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807071642/https://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20111211/1889087.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and his house would always remain open, bustling with all who sought his help<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianvanguard.wordpress.com/2008/01/28/keralites-with-bengal-connection-cautioned/|title=Keralites with Bengal connection cautioned|date=2008-01-28|website=Indian Vanguard|access-date=2017-08-06}}</ref> or advice.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Baxi|first1=Upendra|last2=Bhushan|first2=Prashant|title=...their respective articles on Justice Krishna Iyer|url=http://epaper.indianexpress.com/389864/Indian-Express-Mumbai/06-December-2014#page/13/3|access-date=10 December 2014|work=The Indian Express|date=6 December 2014|archive-date=15 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215075129/http://epaper.indianexpress.com/389864/Indian-Express-Mumbai/06-December-2014#page/13/3|url-status=dead}}</ref> He stood for the nation's president in 1987, as the Opposition's candidate against R. Venkataraman, the ruling Congress's nominee who won. In 2002, he inquired into the Gujarat riots as part of a citizens' panel, with retired Justice P. B. Sawant among others. He also headed the Kerala Law Reform Commission in 2009. He had been active, almost until a few weeks before his death, when ill-health and advancing age took their toll on him. As a public intellectual Iyer held several positions in the people's organizations, arts societies, sports councils, and cultural groupings.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://globalsouthcolloquy.com/a-trailblazer-in-indian-jurisprudence/ | title=A Trailblazer in Indian Jurisprudence: &#124; Global South Colloquy }}</ref>

He died on 4 December 2014 in the hundredth year of his life,<ref>{{cite web|title=Former Supreme Court judge V R Krishna Iyer passes away at 100|url=http://netindian.in/news/2014/12/04/00031722/former-supreme-court-judge-v-r-krishna-iyer-passes-away-100|website=NetIndian|access-date=4 December 2014}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/justice-krishna-iyer-passes-away/article6661758.ece | title=Leaving a light, Justice Krishna Iyer passes away | newspaper=The Hindu | date=4 December 2014 | access-date=4 December 2014| last1=Gopakumar | first1=K. c. }}</ref> and was cremated with state honours. His wife Sarada, who would listen to him talk about his work, when on occasion he would change his mind after she gave her opinion on it,<ref name="autobio">{{cite book|author=V. R. Krishna Iyer|title=Wandering in Many Worlds: An Autobiography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A4FKhMcmpdQC&pg=PA189|year=2009|publisher=Pearson Education India|isbn=978-81-317-1835-3|pages=189}}</ref> had predeceased him in 1974, aged 53. Upon his demise, his private library was donated to the National University of Advanced Legal Studies, where the Justice Krishna Iyer Collection still resides.<ref>{{Cite web|title=NUALS Library|url=http://www.nuals.ac.in/LIBRARY.aspx|website=National University of Advanced Legal Studies}}</ref> He is survived by his two sons, Ramesh and Paramesh.

==Publications ==
He has to his credit 70–100 books, mostly on law, and four travelogues. He has also authored a book in Tamil, ''Neethimandramum Samanvya Manithanum''. ''Leaves from My Personal Life'' is his autobiography.<ref name="autobio"/> There are around five published books by other authors about him.

{{Incomplete list|date=February 2011}}
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Name of the book
! Year
! Publisher
|-
| ''Law and the People''
| 1972
| Peoples Publishing House, Rani Jhansi Road, New Delhi.
|-
| ''Law, Freedom and Change''
| 1975
| Affiliated East West Press Pvt. Ltd., 5, General Patters Road, Madras
|-
| ''Law India, Some Contemporary Challenges''
| 1976
| University College of Law, Nagpur.
|-
| ''Jurisprudence and Juris-Conscience à la Gandhi''
| 1976
| [[Gandhi Peace Foundation]], 221/3-Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, New Delhi-2
|-
| ''Social Mission of Law''
| 1976
| Orient Longmans Ltd., 160, Anna Salai, Madras-2
|-
| ''Law & Social Change and Indian Overview''
| 1978
| Publication Bureau, Panjab University, Chandigarh
|-
|"Leaves From My Personal Life"
|2001
|Gyan Publishing House
|-
| ''Social Justice and the Handicapped Humans''
| 1978
| The Academy of Legal Publications, Punnan Road, Trivandrum-695001
|-
| ''The Integral Yoga of Public Law and Development in the Context of India''
| 1979
| The Institute of Constitutional & Parliamentary Studies, Vithal Bhai Patel House, Rafi Marg, New Delhi
|-
| ''Of Law & Life''
| 1979
| Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., 20/4 Industrial Area, Ghaziabad, U.P.
|-
|''A Constitutional Miscellany''
|1986
|Eastern Book Company
|-
| ''Life After Death''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/br/2005/04/12/stories/2005041200121403.htm|title=The Hindu : Book Review / Language Books : Life after death|work=The Hindu}}</ref>
| 2005
| DC Books, Kottayam

|-
| ''Wandering in Many Worlds''
| 2009
| Pearson Education
|-
|Random Reflections
|2004
|Universal Law Publication

|-
| ''The Indian Law (Dynamic Dimensions of the Abstract)''
| 2009
| Universal Law Publishing
|}

==Awards and distinctions==
Iyer received several awards and distinctions during his life, including:<ref name=":2" />
*Soviet Land Nehru Award, 1968.
*Sri. Jehangir Gandhi Medal and Award for Industrial Peace, 1982.
*Distinguished Fellow, Indian Law Institute, New Delhi.
*The Kumarappa – Reckless Award, 1988. (The [[Indian Society of Criminology]])<ref>{{cite web|title=Awards|url=http://iscindia.edu.in/Awards.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141211193857/http://iscindia.edu.in/Awards.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 December 2014|website=Indian Society of Criminology|access-date=11 December 2014}}</ref>
*Baba Saheb B.R. Ambedkar National Award by the Bharatiya Dalit Sahitya Akademi.
*Ramasramam Award 1992.
* Justice Krishna iyer was awarded the*Title of 'Living Legend of Law"by the International Bar Association in 1995 in recognition of outstanding service to the legal profession internationally and for commitment to the Rule of Law.
*M. A. Thomas National Human Rights Award for 1998.<ref>{{cite web|title=M.A. Thomas National Human Rights Award|url=http://www.vigilindia.info/2011/09/ma-thomas-national-human-rights-award.html|website=(Vigil India Movement)|access-date=12 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213023957/http://www.vigilindia.info/2011/09/ma-thomas-national-human-rights-award.html|archive-date=13 December 2014|url-status=usurped}}</ref>
*[[Padma Vibhushan]] Award by the President of India in 1999 (the Highest Award next to Bharath Ratna).
*Recipient of Vyloppilli Award 1999 for the meritorious service in the fields Human Rights, law, administration etc. The Award was given in February 2000 by the Sahrudaya Vedi, Thrissur.
*'The Order of Friendship', by President Putin in October 2000, Russia's high state honour for personal contribution in strengthening the ties of traditional and time-tested friendship, co-operation and everlasting affection between the two nations.<ref>{{cite news|title=President Vladimir Putin awarded the Order of Friendship to prominent Indian public and political figures|url=http://eng.kremlin.ru/news/14464|access-date=15 December 2014|publisher=Russian Presidential Executive Office|date=4 October 2000}}</ref>
*[[Honorary doctorate]] from [[University of Calicut]] in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Former Honorary Degree Recipients |url=http://www.universityofcalicut.info/news/formerdegreerecepients.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131107134605/http://www.universityofcalicut.info/news/formerdegreerecepients.pdf |archive-date=2013-11-07 |access-date=2020-11-05 |website=[[University of Calicut]]}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of animal rights advocates]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{refbegin}}
* "Muslim Law- An analysis of the judgments rendered by Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer"  By. Sebastian Champappilly, Southern Law Publishers, Cochin-22
* "Muslim Women ( Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act" By Justice V.R.Krishna Iyer, Eastern Book Company, Lucknow.
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Padma Vibhushan Awards}}
{{Padma Award winners of Kerala}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iyer, V. R. Krishna}}
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:Candidates for President of India]]
[[Category:Government Victoria College, Palakkad alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian judges]]
[[Category:Justices of the Supreme Court of India]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in public affairs]]
[[Category:Judges of the Kerala High Court]]
[[Category:Indian legal writers]]
[[Category:Writers from Palakkad]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Scholars from Kerala]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian judges]]
[[Category:Politicians from Palakkad]]
[[Category:Prisoners' rights activists]]
[[Category:Indian men centenarians]]