Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Friday expressed its strong displeasure over the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) refusing to organise a farewell for Justice Bela M Trivedi.
Presiding over a Ceremonial Bench held to honour Justice Trivedi, who chose May 16 as her last working day (her official date of retirement is June 9, 2025), CJI Gavai said he believed in speaking in a plain and straight manner. The Association ought not to have taken such a stand.
He, however, applauded SCBA President Kapil Sibal and SCBA Vice President Rachna Srivastava for attending the Ceremonial Bench proceedings. Despite the resolution of their bodies, they were here.
The CJI said that what has been lost by the Association, the presence of the Full House here, vindicated that Justice Trivedi was an excellent judge. There were different types of judges, but that should not be a factor to deny what ought to have been granted.
The CJI further said that the Supreme Court endorsed Justice Trivedi’s integrity and fairness. She was always known for being fair, hard-working, and for her integrity. Justice Trivedi has been a valuable asset for the judiciary.
CJI Gavai said as the Supreme Court judge embarked on a new journey, he wished her all the best.
Justice Augustine George Masih, who was part of the Ceremonial Bench, said the traditions ought to be followed, adding that good traditions should always continue.
Justice Trivedi always had an image of being strict and conservative in granting relief. She has had certain instances of friction with the members of the bar.
A Bench presided by her in 2024 ordered a CBI inquiry against lawyers in connection with the alleged filing of a fake SLP based on a forged vakaltnama. Justice Trivedi turned down the appeals made by many bar leaders for leniency.
Recently, she called for strict action against certain lawyers for their misconduct in filing a petition and refused to accept their apology, although the other judge in the Bench advocated a lenient approach by accepting the lawyers’ apology. During the hearing of this matter, Justice Trivedi lamented that the bar was pressuring her not to pass an order against fellow lawyers.
She has been perceived as reluctant to grant bail and has voiced opposition to pro-liberty judgments of other Benches in ED matters. Justice Trivedi came under public scrutiny when former JNU scholar and Delhi riots accused Umar Khalid chose to withdraw his bail petition from her bench.
During the Ceremonial Bench proceedings, several lawyers showered praises on Justice Trivedi.
Noting that Justice Trivedi always upheld institutional integrity, Attorney General R Venkataramani said her views on revisiting the caste-based reservation policy in the EWS case may help in the creation of an egalitarian society. The AG also read out a poem he wrote for Justice Trivedi.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that Justice Trivedi never moulded relief to suit the popular sentiment and had the courage and conviction to displease people.
SCBA President Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal said that if any judge bowed to popular sentiment, it was unacceptable. He recalled an instance in a UAPA case, where after failing to secure bail, he told Justice Trivedi that expected her to have some empathy. Justice Trivedi replied in that case, Sibal did not know her.
ASG Aishwarya Bhati, SV Raju, N Venkataraman, and Archana Pathak Dave; Senior Advocates Pinky Anand, Meenakshi Arora, Liz Mathew, V Mohana, and Siddharth Luthra; and Advocate Zoheb Hussain, appreciated Justice Trivedi for her integrity and interest in spirituality. They called Justice Trivedi a strict judge, but with a smile.
Speaking on the occasion, Justice Trivedi thanked everyone for the gracious words.
The Supreme Court judge said she was satisfied for always acting as per her inner conscience.
Noting that judges coming to the Supreme Court from different backgrounds had their own idea of justice, Justice Trivedi said this polyvocality of the Apex Court was its strength, which represented democratic values and the independence of judges. She further stressed on upholding the institutional unity.
The Supreme Court will close for summer vacations on May 23.
Justice Bela Trivedi hails from Gujarat. She joined the judicial service in 1995. She was elevated to the Gujarat High Court in 2011 and appointed to the Supreme Court on August 31, 2021.