When many voices fell silent during difficult times, Fali S Nariman's voice resonated in court & beyond: CJI D Y Chandrachud

New Delhi: "When many voices fell silent during difficult times, Fali S Nariman’s resounding baritone resonated in the walls of the court and beyond. His voice represented the conscious of the nation," Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud said on Thursday paying glowing tribute to the eminent jurist who passed away on February 21 this year.

He said the ultimate test of a moral person is their willingness to raise a voice for justice even when it means rocking the boat (in this case, as he would say, the aircraft), and Nariman was always willing to speak for what was right and just. 

Speaking at a full-court reference held at the Supreme Court in honour of Nariman, the CJI said, “I am also reliably informed that right until the night before his passing, he was meticulously settling the draft of a written submission for an upcoming Constitution Bench hearing on arbitration law”.“His mental agility, dedication to his work, and commitment to the law remained uncompromised till the day he finally rested,” the CJI added.

He also pointed out the values which Nariman embodied unflinching ethics, indomitable courage and an unwavering pursuit of principle provided a balm to the soul of the profession. 

The CJI said with the imposition of the Internal Emergency in June 1975, Nariman resigned as additional solicitor general. 

“In his later years Nariman often described how, in the days following his resignation as Additional Solicitor General, visitors to his house dried up to a trickle,” he said.

“However, his continued accomplishments at the Supreme Court are a testament not only to his enduring legal prowess that saw him through turbulent times, but also to that finest tradition of the Bar in rising above the disagreements of the day to unfailingly serve their clients, assist the Court, and work towards our nation’s betterment,” the CJI said.

The CJI said despite appearing for countless clients of various backgrounds, creeds, and political dispensations, Nariman always recognised that his highest duty was to the court and the Constitution.

“In the legal profession, the hallmark of a great lawyer is not one who wins, but one who fights well and in doing so furthers the Judges’ own understanding of the issues. Nariman was amongst the very best”, he said.

Born in 1929 in Burma, Nariman, was part of several landmark decisions of the Supreme Court. He was awarded with Padma Bhushan in 1991 and Padma Vibhushan in 2007 for his contribution in legal field.