Justice Dipak Misra retires with emotion; Justice Gogoi will be new CJI

Retiring Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra was on song again. He stopped an advocate singing a 1950’s number on the CJI’s last day in office. Justice Misra said he was “responding from the heart” but will speak from his mind in the evening. The advocate started singing “Tum jiyo Hazaron saal…” when Justice Misra interrupted.

Misra will however be replaced by successor Ranjan Gogoi. Justice Gogoi is taking over as the “master of the roster“ from Wednesday, October 3, as Tuesday (October 2) is a national holiday on account of Gandhi Jayanti.

It may be recalled that Justice Misra has had busy time in the recent past giving verdicts of landmark cases such as Aaadhar, homosexuality and women’s entry to Sabarimala temple in a span of few days. Justice Misra became emotional during a brief court proceedings of around 25 minutes on Monday. He stopped the advocate from singing the song at the end of the proceedings in customary style.

While stopping the advocate, Justice Misra used a meaningful line. “Presently I am responding from my heart. I will respond from my mind in the evening,” pat came the reply from the country’s numero uno figure in the judiciary.

Justice AM Khanwilkar, also sitting on the bench, deferred all hearings to the next working day — October 3 — and said that no urgent hearing will take place today and rather it would be heard on October 3 by Justice Gogoi-headed bench.

Apart from heading several benches and delivering several crucial verdicts, Justice Misra also earned his share of criticism from many who’s who in the fraternity. Starting as a justice way back in 1996 from the Orissa High Court, he was transferred to Madhya Pradesh High Court and became a permanent judge by 1997. On December 23, 2009, Justice Misra took charge as the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court in 2010. Thereafter he was promoted to the Supreme Court in 2011 and got hold of the CJI’s position in 2017.

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