Justice A S Bopanna bids adieu to Supreme Court

New Delhi: : Supreme Court judge, Justice A S Bopanna on Friday bid adieu to the top court on his last working day before his formal retirement on May 19.

In his speech, he asked lawyers to "Carry a heart that never hates, carry a smile that never faints, carry a touch that never hurts".

Recalling his long journey, Justice Bopanna, who hailed from Coorg, said when he was doing his LLB, he was not sure whether he would join legal practice and when as a first generation lawyer, he started practice, he never imagined to be a judge. He said his journey was truly from small causes court (SC) to the Supreme Court (SC).

Justice Bopanna enrolled as an advocate on November 21, 1984 and practised Civil, Constitutional, Company, Service matter. In 2006, he was elevated as an additional judge of the Karnataka High Court and became a permanent judge on March 1, 2007.

He was elevated as Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court on October 29, 2018 and as a judge of the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019.

Highly praised by the lawyers for his calm composure and serene behaviour, he quoted his own 2006 speech made in Karnataka High Court upon his elevation, "Though a lawyer and a judge emerge from a common stock, I am conscious of contrasting role as I began this arduous journey, I am aware of the expectation from a judge. As great philosopher Socrates talked about four qualities of a judge - to hear courteously, to consider soberly, to answer wisely and to decide impartially."

Talking about his journey in SC, he said, "Sachin Tendulkar, when he was asked about his century of centuries, said when I go to bat the next time in the next match, I have to again start from zero. It was a similar experience for me in the Supreme Court. Each day was a new day".

Justice Bopanna also remembered Oscar Wilde who said some caused happiness wherever they go, others whenever they go. He said it is upto the Bar to decide in which category he fell in.