A judge who is remembered not only for his judgments but for the patience he displayed in hearing matters, courtesy he extended to lawyers and willingness to listen to litigants, is the most fitting tribute to be paid to the contribution made by a judge, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said on Saturday.
Addressing the Ceremonial Bench on the occasion of Supreme Court judge justice Sanjay Karol ’s last day in office, the CJI recalled that these qualities made justice Karol to give legal visibility to overlooked realities in society, through his judgments that touched innumerable lives. “The quality of listening also explains what is distinctive about his judicial work. Over the years, he has repeatedly noticed what the law can sometimes overlook: the unpaid labour of a homemaker, the dignity of a tribal woman, or the needs of those living with mental illness. He went on to become the chief justice of the high courts at Tripura and Patna before being elevated to the top court.
Prior to his appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court in February 2023, he started as a judge of the Himachal Pradesh high court in 2007.
Lawyers who gathered to bid farewell remembered him as a “saintly judge”, one who encouraged young members of the Bar and forced advocates to look at a matter emotively. The CJI recalled the deep “sensitivity to the human consequences of law” that justice Karol was always alive to throughout his professional journey, both as a lawyer and later as a judge. He gave legal visibility to such overlooked realities by recognising them as respected integrals of our society,” the CJI said. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta said that due to the calm demeanour of justice Karol, he is well known as a “saintly judge” and complimented him for his encouraging practice of appointing young lawyers to assist as amicus curiae in over 400 cases. Additional solicitor general (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati recalled that the time spent in his court was a refreshing experience, similar to a “beautiful, calm oasis” in a desert.
