New Delhi, Aug 8 (PTI) Outgoing Supreme Court judge Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia on Friday said he was confident that faith in the judiciary will never be shaken and the apex court will continue to be the “torchbearer
and custodian” of freedom and justice in the country.
Speaking at a farewell function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Justice Dhulia, who is due to retire on August 9, said it is this faith of common people which has kept the judiciary and the system alive.
While paying glowing tributes to Justice Dhulia for his contribution to the judiciary, Chief Justice of India B R Gavai recited the famous Hindi movie song line, which goes, “Abhi na jao chhod kar ke dil abhi bhara nahi (don’t just leave yet, for the heart longs for more)”.
“I am confident that the faith in our courts and judiciary will never be shaken and the Supreme Court of India will continue to be the torchbearer and custodian of freedom and justice in this country,” Justice Dhulia said.
On the ceremonial bench earlier in the day, Justice Dhulia shared of having grown accustomed to hearing cases and lawyers from across the country and said, “I am going to miss my Hindustan.” At the farewell event, the CJI said Justice Dhulia’s retirement from the court marks the close of a deeply distinguished chapter in India’s judicial history.
“Over the course of his illustrious career as a judge, Justice Dhulia delivered several landmark decisions that have had a lasting impact on Indian jurisprudence,” he said.
Justice Dhulia verdicts touched upon a wide range of critical issues, from matters concerning transfer of property to individuals to safeguarding the fundamental rights of citizens in the context of social justice, the CJI added.
“In a profession where power and authority can sometimes overshadow compassion, Justice Dhulia always remained grounded,” he said.
He also highlighted Justice Dhulia’s earlier involvement with theatre and his deep passion for movies, especially Italian cinemas and timeless classics.
“Had he not chosen the legal profession, it is no exaggeration to say that Justice Dhulia would have excelled as a film maker or an actor,” the CJI said.
The CJI went on, “On a lighter note, had Justice Dhulia stepped into his brother Tigmanshu’s shoes to play the character of Ramadhir Singh in the ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, I believe that the character would have still been unforgettable.” Justice Dhulia’s brother Tigmanshu Dhulia is a noted film maker.
In his address, Justice Dhulia said being in the Supreme Court as a judge is always a challenge but is also very satisfying.
“One factor which distinguishes Supreme Court from all other courts is the pace of work, the pace with which the work is done here, particularly the Mondays and Fridays,” he said.
Justice Dhulia said in remote areas, when a villager is harassed or troubled by the system, he says he will go to the high court and get a stay.
“Now it is this faith, this faith in the common man, which has kept our judiciary and the system alive,” he said.
He stressed that lawyers must speak with courage and integrity and should always be fearless.
Attorney General R Venkataramani, SCBA president and senior advocate Vikas Singh and others also addressed the gathering.
The SCBA president lauded Justice Dhulia for his resolve to vacate official bungalow on the day of his retirement.
He, however, apparently took a dig at former CJI D Y Chandrachud on his overstay in the official residence.
“Now we have had a recent example of a chief justice wanting to overstay. Chief justice is allowed six months only. He had already stayed in that house for eight months. I was surprised to see him using the ground of his disabled children,” Singh said.
“He moved straight away to a government home, and he is not entitled to any government accommodation,” he said.
Interestingly, a month ago in an unprecedented move, the Supreme Court administration wrote to the Centre to vacate the official residence of the Chief Justice of India at 5, Krishna Menon Marg in Delhi, noting former CJI DY Chandrachud had stayed beyond the permissible period.
Earlier in August, however, Justice Chandrachud vacated the official residence of the head of the judiciary.
Born on August 10, 1960, Justice Dhulia assumed charge as a judge of the Supreme Court on May 9, 2022.
He had started his legal practice in the Allahabad High Court, later moving to the Uttarakhand High Court upon its creation in 2000, where he rose to the position of senior advocate and was eventually elevated to the bench in 2008.
He later took oath as the chief justice of the Gauhati High Court on January 10, 2021. PTI ABA ABA AMK AMK
