Justice Mishra, one of most controversial judges, retires

Says he was commanded by his conscience while writing judgments

Justice Arun Mishra who was at the Centre of many controversies, including the famous press conference by four top court judges on January 12, 2018, retired from the Supreme Court on Wednesday with attorney- general K. K. Venugopal describing him as an “Iron judge” of the top court who was both “firm and unshakable”.

Having spent over six years as a judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Mishra in his farewell remarks said, “I have always written judgments from my conscience and thinking about upholding law.”

Justice Mishra was sworn in as judge of the Supreme Court on July 7, 2014.

Sitting with Chief Justice Sharad A. Bobde, Justice A. S. Bopanna and Justice V. Ramasubramanian, Justice Mishra in his parting remarks said, “Analyse every Judgment and don’t colour it this way or that way.”

Referring to attorneygeneral Venugopal saying that he would have appreciated if Justice Mishraled bench had not punished Prashant Bhushan for contempt, Justice Mishra said that they thought till last moment.

Sometimes I have been very harsh in my conduct directly or indirectly. Nobody should feel hurt… If I have hurt anybody then please pardon me, pardon me, pardon me

— Justice Arun Mishra, Former CJI

Justice Mishra did not elaborate any further after CJI Bobde desisted him.

The A- G said that bench headed by Justice Mishra has while punishing lawyer Prashant Bhushan for contempt has “elaborately laid down the contempt principle and it will be debated for a long time,”

CJI Bobde said he had never come across a person

or judge who has like Justice Mishra faced so many adversities — both as a judge and in his personal life — and yet carried on bravely with fortitude.

Recalling the tremendous amount of work and and significant judgments delivered by Justice Mishra, the attorney- general said that he would have been given a fitting farewell in presence of lawyers but for the Covid pandemic.

Referring to sometimes using harsh words in the course of the hearing Justice Mishra said, “Sometimes I have been very harsh in my conduct directly or indirectly. Nobody should feel hurt… If I have hurt anybody then please pardon me, pardon me, pardon me.”

Not known for holding back his views, a debate was triggered when he had described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “versatile genius” at the two- day International Judicial Conference 2020 on “Judiciary and the Changing World” in February.