As was the case with many children of aristocracy in Hyderabad at the time, Mirza Hameedullah Beg attended St. George's Grammar School, where he earned a gold medal for first position in Senior Cambridge H.S.L.C.

As India was still under heavy British influence, it was common for wealthy Indians to receive higher education in England, particularly when studying law.

Beg joined the renowned Trinity College and Cambridge University in 1931, and earned Honours in Archaeological and Anthropological and Historical Triposes.

The five seniormost judges of the Supreme court heard the case, and four aligned with the government view that even the right to life stood suspended during emergency (only dissent was H. R. Khanna).

In his April 1976 decision, Justice Beg observed: We understand that the care and concern bestowed by the state authorities upon the welfare of detenues [sic?]

Beg, who was junior to H. R. Khanna, was appointed Chief Justice of India by the Indira Gandhi government.

This impingement into the independence of the judiciary was widely protested;[5] subsequent law ministers, particularly Shanti Bhushan, initiated a series of measures to bring judicial appointments within the power of the Chief Justice, and not the executive.