The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave a resounding farewell to Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who demitted office as the 51st Chief Justice of India, amid warm wishes and greetings for a great future.
CJI Khanna, CJI-designate Justice BR Gavai and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar gathered in a thickly crowded Courtroom 1 for the Ceremonial Bench proceedings.
The event witnessed a broad cross-section of the legal fraternity, from Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to several Senior Advocates and young members of the Bar, conveying their adulation for CJI Khanna.
Speaking on the occasion, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president and Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal said the 51st CJI carried forward the legacy of his uncle and former Supreme Court judge, Justice HR Khanna, with an essence of intuition and keen understanding. There was no branch of law in which Justice Sanjiv Khanna’s clarity of thought was not evident from this side of the Bench (the Bar).
The CJI’s encouragement of young advocates, urging them to take the floor and argue, embodied the very best qualities of a judge. He represented what truly mattered in the judiciary.
While the Supreme Court was saddened by his departure, both the Bar and the Bench realised that when Justice Khanna would wake up tomorrow, he would face a new day after 20 years of a habit.
Attorney General R Venkataramani hailed the simplicity reflected in the verdicts of CJI Khanna, stating that he strove to uphold liberties and institutional integrity.
SG Mehta showered praises on the CJI for delivering crisp judgments and giving a patient hearing to everyone. He said the CJI made his uncle Justice HR Khanna proud today.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju referred to an article published recently by a leading legal news website about CJI Khanna’s legacy. Citing the article, the ASG said the CJI quietly defended the Constitution through trials by fire. He took firm decisions to protect liberty and restored the trust of the public in the judiciary without chasing legacy or limelight.
ASG Raju also recalled an incident, stating that he once saw the CJI having his morning walk alone without any security in the Lodhi Gardens.
Senior Advocates Raju Ramachandran, Sanjay Hegde, Vibha Datta Makhija, Shadan Farasat, PC Sen, Menaka Guruswamy, Dushyant Dave, Adhish Agarwala and AM Singhvi, along with ASGs Aishwarya Bhati & N Venkataraman and SCAORA President Vipin Nair, applauded the CJI for conducting his court in a very graceful manner, while having a spine of steel.
Senior Advocate Dave said the CJI strengthened the institution on both the administrative and judicial sides. He led the institution like a perfect all-rounder, batting with the Constitution in his hand, fielding with the fundamental rights in his hand, and bowling with justice in mind, added Dave.
Justice Gavai termed his predecessor as a gentleman to the core in every sense, whose humility and calm demeanour always stood out in the Court. His verdicts reflected sensitivity towards human rights. The CJI-designate hailed the recent Full Court decision to publish the assets of the judges, stating that it showed CJI Khanna’s ‘penchant’ for transparency.
Justice Sanjay Kumar said that while sharing the Bench with CJI Khanna, he was amazed by the latter’s sharp memory and unyielding patience with lawyers, who came unprepared to the Court.
He said that while he would get irritated by such Advocates, the CJI would pursue his duties, be it judicial or administrative tasks, with sincerity and a sense of purpose.
Justice Kumar further said that as a High Court judge, he used to have a narrow and pedantic approach, but he learnt pragmatism from CJI Khanna.
Thanking everyone for their gracious words, CJI Khanna said he was completely overwhelmed by the appreciation he received. He said he was carrying a lot of nice memories with him, which would remain with him throughout.
Noting that a person who chose to become a lawyer always remained so, the CJI said the trust bestowed by the public in the judiciary could not be commanded, but has to be earned, through the members of the bar and the bench.
Noting that the judiciary was a common term, which referred to both the judges and the bar, the CJI called the members of the bar the conscience-keepers, who kept the system in check.
The CJI said Justice Gavai would turn out to be an excellent Chief Justice, who would uphold the institution, the fundamental rights, and the basic doctrines of law.