New Delhi: Outgoing Chief Justice of India (CJI) Uday Umesh Lalit turned nostalgic Monday as he recalled his journey of nearly 37 years in the Supreme Court. CJI Uday Umesh Lalit said he enjoyed his stint both as a lawyer and a judge. CJI Lalit is set to retire on November 8. He was speaking as he sat on the ceremonial bench in the apex court for the last time with his designated successor Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Bela M Trivedi Monday afternoon.
CJI Lalit said it was a great feeling to pass on the baton to the senior-most judge, Justice Chandrachud, as he began his stint in the top court by appearing before his father and16th Chief Justice Yeshwant Vishnu Chandrachud.
“I have spent something like 37 years in this court. My journey in this court began through Court Number 1. I was practicing in Bombay and then I came here to mention a case before CJI Y V Chandrachud,” CJI Lalit said.
“My journey began from this court and today it ends in the same court. The person before whom I mentioned the matter, he passed on the baton to subsequent Chief Justices. I now pass the baton to a very distinguished person and the son of that man himself. It is a beautiful occasion for me and I couldn’t have asked for anything greater than that,” CJI Lalit added.
Referring to forming several Constitution benches, CJI Lalit said it has been a very memorable and satisfactory feeling ‘to have done something for the Bar’.
“I feel a judge who gets to be a judge of the Supreme Court would be good enough for everything. He or she must have an equal chance to be part of the Constitution benches. The day I started, it was 30, today it is 29 and tomorrow it will be 28 so it is good for anything and thus all of them can be part of Constitution benches. I have practised here and I never saw two Constitution benches sitting simultaneously,” CJI Lalit said.
“But on a particular day, there were three Constitution benches simultaneously. It is very memorable and gives me a sense of great satisfaction. I am a product of this Bar and at the same time, I have a feeling that I was able to do something for the bar. That is a very great feeling as I will be walking out of this court for the last time,” the outgoing CJI added.
Justice Chandrachud, who is set to take over as India’s 50th CJI, said CJI Lalit has the unique distinction of being called to the senior advocateship by this court and then rising to become an SC judge.
“Today, we have the three generations of the Lalit family here. Father of CJI Lalit, CJI himself and the next generation. CJI Lalit has the unique distinction of being called to the senior advocateship by this court and then becoming an SC judge. Your tenure as Chief Justice saw a large number of reforms,” Justice Chandrachud stated.
The CJI-designate assured CJI Lalit that there would be a sense of continuity in the reforms adopted by him in the apex court.
“I have known the Chief Justice for a long time though I opposed him on one only one matter,” Chandravhud said, without elaborating.
Justice Lalit’s bid to fill up all the remaining vacancies of judges in the Supreme Court remained unfinished as his successor Justice Chandrachud and Justice SA Nazeer objected to the procedure of seeking written consent to the proposal for the recommendation of names for appointment by the five-member collegiums
Attorney General R Venkataramani said he is deeply indebted to CJI Lalit and he was finding it difficult to gather his thoughts. “You are leaving without leaving. There have been many subjects on which we had a common understanding. I am deeply indebted to your lordship for having marvelled over very intricate issues before this court and showing how the court can be held,” Venkataramani said.
Senior advocate K K Venugopal said CJI Lalit’s tenure will be remembered for years to come since there were three constitution benches functioning at the same time.
Justice Lalit, born November 9, 1957, was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court August 13, 2014 directly from the Bar. He was sworn in as the 49th CJI with effect from August 27, 2022 and would be demitting office November 8, a court holiday. Justice Lalit enrolled as an advocate in June 1983 and practiced in the Bombay High Court till December 1985.
CJI Lalit shifted his practice to Delhi in January 1986 and in April 2004 and he was designated as a senior advocate by the apex court. Justice Lalit was appointed a special public prosecutor for the CBI to conduct the trial in the 2G spectrum allocation case.