NO FAREWELL PLEASE, JUSTICE CHELAMESWAR TELLS BAR

NEW DELHI: Justice Jasti Chelameswar of the Supreme Court, who retires on June 22, has declined to have a farewell hosted for him by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), citing personal reasons, according to members of the body.

Justice Chelameswar, the senior-most judge in the court after the chief justice, courted controversy when he, and three other senior judges, went public on January 12 with their grievances over the way Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra was running the court.

“I have the right to keep my reasons reserved and not to disclose it. I request you not to ask me further,” SCBA secretary Vikrant Yadav quoted Justice Chelameswar as saying.

Justice Jasti Chelameswar of the Supreme Court of India, who retires on June 22, has declined to have a farewell hosted for him by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), citing personal reasons, according to members of the body . It’s only the second time in the top court’s history that an outgoing judge has refused a farewell function sought to be organized by the lawyers’ group.

Justice Chelameswar, the senior-most judge in the court after the chief justice, courted controversy when he, and three other senior judges went public on January 12 with their grievances over the way Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra was running the court.

Traditionally, SCBA organizes a farewell on the judge’s last working day. But in the case of justice Chelameswar, the function was proposed to be held on May 18, the last working day of the Supreme Court before it goes on a 45-day summer break.

“The idea of SCBA was to host a farewell for justice Chelameswar on the last working day of the court. On June 22, when the judge retires, the court will be on vacation and judges and lawyers will not be in Delhi, So it was planned to have a farewell on May 18. However, justice Chelameswar has declined to take part in a send-off function which was organized for him,” confirmed SCBA secretary Vikrant Yadav.

About four days back, SCBA’s secretary met the judge and personally extended an invite to the farewell function. justice Chelameswar declined the request; two days back, the president of SCBA met the judge at a dinner and requested him to come to the farewell function , but the judge demurred.

“On Wednesday evening again, the executive committee met justice Chelameswar at his residence to persuade him. He still did not agree to attend the farewell function. He said, “I have the right to keep my reasons reserved and not to disclose it. I request you not to ask me further,”’ said Yadav. The judge also told the members of the bar that he had not accepted a farewell earlier when he was moving out of the Andhra Pradesh high court to another high court.

SCBA suggested an informal farewell in the bar room but he was having none of that too. A similar informal farewell was given to justice Chelameswar by the Gauhati High court bar when he was elevated to the Supreme Court. Normally, farewell functions for judges of the top court are held in the Supreme Court lawns and attended by all the judges of the top court including the Chief Justice of India. On the occasion, speeches are made by the CJI, who is the chief guest, and the outgoing judge, who is the guest of honour. This is the second time in the history of the Supreme court that an outgoing judge has refused a farewell for him. justice AP Sen, who retired in September 1988, had also declined a farewell function.

Press Trust of India contributed to this story.