An outgoing Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi on Friday deplored the observe of appreciating judges for making anti-government statements saying, “we as judges are supposed to decide the matter with material on record, whether it will be this way or that way is not for consideration.”
At the farewell perform organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Justice Rastogi said, “What I realised in these five to ten years… it is my feeling, I may be wrong and I must be proved to be wrong. If somebody wants to say that I am an independent judge, unbiased judge. To my understanding, decide the matter anti-establishment, give your opinion against the government, you are an independent judge. I said ‘no’. We as judges are supposed to decide the matter with material on record, whether it will be this way or that way is not for consideration.”
“This thing has been perceived by people at large and the media also supports it. You make a comment against the government everybody will be happy, finest judge. Give judgment against anti-establishment, finest judge… this practice prevalent with people needs to change. I may decide the matter against the government or in favour of the government… what we decide is on the basis of material on record and do justice to the people. I have not been able to gather where this term justice lies, whether I decide in favour of the petition or against the petitioner.”
Justice Rastogi was elevated as a judge of the Rajasthan High Court in 2013 and served as its appearing Chief Justice for a brief stint in 2016. In 2018, he was transferred to the Tripura High Court as its Chief Justice, earlier than his elevation to the Supreme Court on November 2, 2018. Justice Rastogi will retire on June 18.
Chief Justice DYÂ Chandrachud, earlier within the day sitting on a ceremonial bench with one other outgoing judge, Justice V. Ramasubramanian, highlighted his dedication to his judicial duties, in addition to his pursuits in Sanskrit and Tamil.
He said he had requested Justice Ramasubramanian to imagine the place of a tribunal chairman every time a emptiness arose. However, Justice Ramasubramanian said he desires to stay a free individual untrammelled by the duties of a judicial workplace.
Justice Ramasubramanian will retire on June 30.
Justice Ok.M. Joseph, on his final working day, said members of the Bar have to be within the forefront within the battle against forces which might overcome the constitutional lifestyle we’ve got adopted. He said the independence of the apex court docket is integral to keep up democratic lifestyle and rule of legislation.
Sitting on the ceremonial bench with the Chief Justice Chandrachud, Justice Joseph said, “All that you have said I take with a generous pinch of salt and it is customary and I would be naive if I take it at the face value… Thank you for all that you have said and perhaps what you have not said.”
(With inputs from IANS)
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