New Delhi
In keeping with tradition, he sat in the chief justice’s court with Dipak Misra and Justice DY Chandrachud for a short period on Friday.
Friday was the last working day for Justice Jasti Chelameswar, the second senior-most judge in the Supreme Court. The judge is set to retire on June 22 but his last working day was on Friday, when the Supreme Court closes for the summer vacations. By the time it reopens on July 2, his tenure would be over.
Dispelling speculation that he would break with tradition, Chelameswar sat in the chief justice’s court with Dipak Misra and Justice DY Chandrachud on Friday. It is a tradition in the Supreme Court that a judge who is retiring from office sits in the chief justice’s court on their last working day. However, since he had turned down an invitation by the Supreme Court Bar Association for his farewell – another tradition – there were rumours that he would not appear in the chief justice’s court on his last working day.
The bench convened at 10.35 am for a short period of time, Bar and Bench reported, adding that three members of the Bar paid their tributes to the judge in open court.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan said, “Future generations will remember your contribution to democracy and the country,” while senior advocate Rajiv Dutta thanked Chelameswar for “upholding the ideals of the institution”. Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, in his farewell speech, also thanked the judge and said his grace towards junior members of the Bar will always be appreciated.
