Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, who retired after seven years as a Supreme Court judge on Thursday said that merit must predominate for the selection of judges, and the time has now for more direct appointees (elevated) to the court.
Speaking at a farewell function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Justice Nariman, who is the son of noted jurist Fali Nariman, said: "Merit must predominate the selection of judges. Also the time has now come for more direct appointees (elevated) to this Court".
The farewell event was organised on the lawn of the Supreme Court.
Justice Nariman said that he has enjoyed being a judge of the top court. "I have enjoyed every minute being a judge, but I certainly enjoyed writing judgments," he said.
He said he was leaving this institution with mixed feelings. "Now I can say that I won't have files waiting for me at 6 am in the morning. Now I am an ordinary person like any other," he said.
The judge had authored many landmark judgements to name, including LGBT decriminalisation, denying reservation in promotion, Sabarimala, and terming Triple Talaq as unconstitutional.
He also said that he started to practice as a lawyer under the able guidance of the current Attorney General K K Venugopal. "I learnt a lot from him (Venugopal) and I can say that he is my guru," he said.
"I work on both the sides (bar and the bench), and this bench side is much more difficult, and you need to study more and more," Justice Nariman said.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana said that he is a great judge, who has delivered many landmark judgements.
CJI Ramana further said that the misconception created in the minds of people that the judges lead a comfortable life is untrue. "There exists a misconception in the minds of the people that Judges stay in big bungalows, work only 10 to 4 and enjoy their holidays. Such a narrative is untrue. It is not easy to prepare for more than 100 cases every week, listen to arguments," the CJI said.
"We either burn the midnight oil, or wake up before sunrise, or sometimes even both, to fulfill our judicial duties," the CJI Ramana said.
Describing Justice Nariman as a great judge, CJI Ramana said that he has enriched the judiciary and we all will remember him.
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