New Delhi : Chief Justice of India (CJI) UU Lalit on his farewell function on Monday, said that he has fulfilled to a certain extent his promise relating to easing the mentioning process, streamlining listing of matters and functioning of one constitution bench.
CJI Lalit said this during the farewell function organised for him by the Supreme Court Bar Association.
CJI Lalit recalled that he had made certain promises regarding mentioning and listing the matters and about Constitution benches.
He highlighted that during his tenure around 10,000 matters and 13,000 matters lying in defects were disposed of. He also mentioned his 37 years in the Supreme Court in which for 29 years, he practiced as a lawyer and last 8 years as judge of the top court.
The outgoing CJI also praised veteran lawyer, the late Soli Sorabjee, under whom he worked as a junior for over five years. CJI thanked Sorabjee and said whatever he stands and does today is all the product of that.
CJI Lalit said that his journey in the Supreme Court began by mentioning a case before Justice YV Chandrachud and now he passes the baton to his son, DY Chandrachud.
Senior most Supreme Court judge, Justice DY Chandrachud, who is going to be next Chief Justice of India, praised current CJI Lalit and mentioned his contribution in bringing change in mentioning and listing the matters and reducing pendency.
Justice DY Chandrachud said that he hoped to provide continuity to all the good work. “Institutions are strengthened only when individuals work together. And I am grateful for the leadership that he provided in his tenure,” Justice Chandrachud said.
Justice DY Chandrachud said that he learnt that he was collaborative, consultative, and most importantly, compassionate.
Justice Chandrachud said the large gathering today showering praises is not just as accolades but also the work that CJI Lalit has done to uplift the institution. Justice Chandrachud said that as his successor, he has a big size shoe to fill.
Justice Chandrachud also mentioned CJI Lalit’s contribution as NALSA chairman as he said that CJI Lalit has performed an amazing job by encouraging initiatives to reach out to grassroot level. Justice DY Chandrachud said that CJI Lalit transformed the image of the judicial system from colonial justice delivery system to a system where people have to reach out to and he transformed the justice delivery image from a system which has to reached out to by the people to something that reaches out to people.
Justice DY Chandrachud also shared the relationship between CJI Lalit and his families, which can be traced back a long way, even before they were both born and said that Justice Lalit’s father was a junior at his father’s chambers.
