Chelameswar retires today, praise pours in
NEW DELHI: On the eve of his last working day as a Supreme Court judge, Justice Jasti Chelameswar won praise from lawyers on Thursday for his “courage, judicial approach and uprightness”.
Senior advocate and former Union law minister Shanti Bhushan, who was sitting in courtroom 2, addressed the judge as soon as he rose before the lunch break. Bhushan’s sentiments were echoed by senior advocate and former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Dushyant Dave.
Justice Chelameswar’s sevenyear-old stint in the Supreme Court ends on June 22. However, since the court breaks for a 41-day-long summer break from next week, Friday will be his last day in court. The judge recently turned down SCBA’S request to participate in a farewell function it wanted to arrange for him.
In keeping with convention, he will sit with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) on his last working day.
The sitting may not be for long as only 11 matters are listed before the bench headed by CJI Dipak Misra; 10 are transfer petitions related to matrimonial disputes.
Bhushan referred to Justice HR Khanna and said that like him, Justice Chelameswar too would be remembered as a judge who presided over court 2. Justice Khanna retired from court 2 and did not make it to the Chief Justice’s post.
Justice Khanna was also the sole dissenting judge in the 1976 emergency verdict, disagreeing with the government’s view that even fundamental rights abrogated during a period of National Emergency.
“While standing in this court, I see a portrait of Justice Khanna and I am reminded that this court (number 2) is not less important than court one. The entire country remembers Justice Khanna who presided in court no. 2, while it doesn’t remember many of those who presided over courtroom number one,” Bhushan said, adding: “I am sure yours (Justice Chelameswar’s portrait) will be here soon.”
Justice Chelameswar’s strong views against the lack of transparency in the judiciary became known when he authored a strongly worded dissent against the collegium system followed to appoint judges to HCS and SC.