Chief Justice Dipak Misra, the outgoing Chief Justice of India (CJI), delivered his farewell address on Monday evening at an event organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA). Also present on the occasion was Chief Justice of India-designate Justice Ranjan Gogoi, who will take over from Justice Misra on October 3, Attorney General of India K K Venugopal, and senior lawyers among others.
Highlights from Justice Dipak Misra’s farewell address:
* “I do not judge people by history, I judge people by their activities and perspectives.”
* “I must tell you that justice must have a human face and human division.”
* “Young members of the Bar enlighten our vision. I am of the view that while the experience of Bar is to be respected, the wisdom of youth also needs to be appreciated.”
* “Indian judiciary is the most robust institution in the world. Our judiciary has been strongest judiciary in the world having the capability to handle mind boggling number of cases.”
* “Truth has no colour; it is not as it is made to appear.”
* “When Supreme Court Bar Association connects a judge with ground reality, it’s a strong bridge. It doesn’t mean that judges aren’t aware of reality but I am talking of the needed bridge to connect. It connects us to belong and it matters.”
Justice Dipak Misra served as the 45th Chief Justice of India, from August 28, 2017, to October 2, 2018.
Justice Misra also held the post of the Chief Justice of the Patna and Delhi High Courts. He succeeded Justice JS Khehar and would be succeeded by Justice Ranjan Gogoi who would take the oath on October 3, 2018.
A few landmark judgments during the tenure of Justice Dipak Misra
1. No to marriage as a compromise between a rape accused and the victim.
2. Live-streaming of the top court’s proceedings.
3. Judgment upholding the death sentence of four convicts in the December 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape case
4. Order making playing of the national anthem in cinema halls mandatory.
5. Declaring Section 377 of the IPC as unconstitutional which made gay sex a criminal offence.
6. Order making all FIRs online within 24 hours of registration to make the working of police transparent and accountable to the public.
7. Section 497 of the IPC held unconstitutional which defined adultery as a crime.
8. Making Aadhaar conditional. The judgment upheld the Constitutional validity of Aadhaar but ruled that the UIDAI project could not be made mandatory for any social welfare scheme and availing rights.
9. Kerala government’s rule that legally barred women from entering the Sabarimala Temple declared unconstitutional thus paving the way for women to visit the temple.
10. Directing the Centre and the state governments to curb vigilantism and mob lynching.
(With agency inputs)