CJI Lalit: Leaving with a sense of accomplishment
Speaking at his farewell on the last working day, CJI Lalit said that in his professional career of 37 years, he had never seen two constitution benches at the same time, adding that every apex court judge is “good enough” to be given equal chance to become a part of the Constitution benches.
Outgoing Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit on Monday said that he is ending his tenure with a “sense of great achievement”, passing on the baton to justice DY Chandrachud, who will be CJI from Wednesday till November 2024.
Speaking at his farewell on the last working day, CJI Lalit said that in his professional career of 37 years, he had never seen two constitution benches at the same time, adding that every apex court judge is “good enough” to be given equal chance to become a part of the Constitution benches. CJI Lalit will demit office on November 8, which is a holiday on account of Guru Nanak Jayanti.
CJI Lalit started six constitution benches during his tenure. “I practised here for 37 years, (but) I never saw two constitution benches sitting simultaneously. But on a particular day, there are three constitution benches in court number 1, 2 and 3 sitting simultaneously. So, it’s very memorable and there is a sense of great achievement, satisfaction,” he said.
He has fulfilled, “to a certain extent”, the promises he made while he made when he had taken over the CJI, he said. “Since I took over, we (SC) disposed of 10,000 cases against a filing which was 8,700 and about 13,000 cases were disposed off which were lying in defects. So to certain extent we have taken a slice from the mounting arrears,” CJI Lalit said, adding that he started six Constitution benches to dispose of cases where he received a lot of support from brother and sister judges, and lawyers.
Recalling that his first appearance in the Supreme Court was before justice YV Chandrachud, the CJI said that he would now pass the baton to justice DY Chandrachud, the son of that “illustrious” chief justice.
“My first appearance was before justice YV Chandrachud and now I passed on the baton to the son of that illustrious chief justice,” he said.
CJI-designate DY Chandrachud said that CJI Lalit during his tenure brought a large number of judicial reforms, assuring that the efforts would be see continuity. “Your tenure as the chief justice brought large number of judicial reforms which will stand the court in good stead in the future, and I would like to assure you that there would be a sense of continuity that you have adopted in this court,” justice Chandrachud said.
Justice Chandrachud will be sworn in as the 50th CJI on Wednesday.
Saying that CJI Lalit was one of the few lawyers who was elevated as a judge directly while practising, justice Chandrachud asserted that the reforms by the outgoing CJI’s reforms will stand the test of time.
Former attorney general KK Venugopal said that there were 54 Constitution bench matters which had to be taken up for hearing and it was only during CJI Lalit’s tenure that 24 matters got listed before four benches, a feat that has never achieved in the history of the top court.
Attorney general R Venkatramani also praised CJI Lalit. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta also wished CJI Lalit the best for his future, adding that “senior Lalit” (CJI’s father) will have been a proud man today.
During the farewell, senior advocate Vikas Singh presented a memorabilia to CJI Lalit, who said that he had come with dreams in his eyes in the national capital, but it was the support of his family, teachers and legal stalwarts like Soli Sorabjee that helped him in succeeding.
