New Delhi: Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Friday deplored the stand taken by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) not to hold an official farewell ceremony for Justice Bela M Trivedi. CJI Gavai was presiding over a ceremonial bench held to honour Justice Trivedi, the eleventh woman judge to be elevated to the Supreme Court in its 75-year-old history. CJI said he "deprecated openly" the stand taken by the SCBA.
The SCBA, as a matter of practice, holds farewell functions for retiring apex court judges and an exceptional decision was taken in Justice Trivedi's case.
The CJI said, “There are different types of judges. There are some who give relief. There are others who do not give relief. Judges are ultimately human beings. Everybody has different views”.
“We could all be together as a family, and therefore I'm grateful to the people, and certainly also that both of them (SCBA president Kapil Sibal and other office bearers) are here," he said.
The CJI went on, "But the stand taken by the association (SCBA), I must deprecate openly, because I believe in being plain and straight. Such a stand ought not to have been taken by the association, and therefore I openly appreciate that despite the resolution of the bar body, they (SCBA President Kapil Sibal and Vice President Rachna Srivastava) are here."
The CJI said that despite the resolution, the presence of SCBA office bearers reaffirmed the "traditions and respect for the judiciary transcend differences".
CJI praised Justice Trivedi for her career trajectory from the subordinate judiciary up to the apex court. The CJI lauded Justice Trivedi for her "fairness, firmness, hard work" aside from "dedication and spirituality".
The efforts and commitment of Justice Trivedi, who was elevated to the apex court on August 31, 2021 and spent over three years, were hailed by members of the bar, Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.
Read more: Eleventh Woman Judge In SC History, Justice Bela M Trivedi Bids Adieu
