Former Supreme Court Justice Krishna Murari has been appointed as a member of the independent governing council of Vantara, the animal rescue and rehabilitation centre based in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The council has been established to provide independent oversight of Vantara’s conservation, animal rescue, rehabilitation and regulatory compliance activities.
Vantara is backed by Reliance Industries and has emerged as a major centre focused on the rescue, treatment, rehabilitation and welfare of animals. The newly constituted governing council is intended to oversee the institution’s work and help ensure that its activities remain aligned with applicable conservation laws, animal welfare standards and regulatory requirements.
John E Scanlon to Lead Vantara Governing Council
John E Scanlon AO, the former Secretary General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), was appointed Chairperson of the governing council in August this year.
Scanlon brings extensive international experience in wildlife conservation and the protection of endangered species. His appointment, along with that of Justice Krishna Murari, adds expertise from both the global conservation sector and India’s judicial system to the council.
Justice Krishna Murari’s Judicial Career
Justice Krishna Murari brings more than four decades of legal and judicial experience to his new role at Vantara. He studied law at Allahabad University and enrolled as an advocate on December 23, 1981. He began his legal career practising at the Allahabad High Court before being appointed an Additional Judge of the court on January 7, 2004.
He was appointed a permanent judge of the Allahabad High Court in 2005. His judicial career later took him to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where he was elevated as Chief Justice in June 2018.
Justice Murari was subsequently appointed to the Supreme Court of India. He took oath as a Supreme Court judge on September 23, 2019. During his tenure at the country’s highest court, he served on several Constitution Benches and heard a wide range of cases involving constitutional, civil and criminal law.
He retired from the Supreme Court in July 2023 after a distinguished judicial career.
Focus on Animal Rescue and Conservation
Justice Murari’s appointment comes at a time when Vantara continues to expand its focus on wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, conservation and animal welfare. The governing council is expected to play an important role in providing independent oversight of these activities and ensuring compliance with the legal and regulatory framework governing the rescue and care of animals.
The inclusion of Justice Murari and John E Scanlon brings together two distinct areas of expertise. While Scanlon contributes extensive experience in international wildlife conservation and endangered-species protection, Justice Murari brings a strong background in Indian law and the judicial system.
The governing council is therefore expected to strengthen oversight of Vantara’s operations while supporting its broader objectives in animal welfare, wildlife conservation and rehabilitation. Its role will include examining compliance-related matters and helping ensure that the centre’s conservation and rescue activities are carried out in accordance with relevant laws and established standards.
Also read: Vantara and Indonesia Launch Major Wildlife Health and Conservation Partnership