<p>Justice R F Nariman, who retired from the Supreme Court on Thursday, said merit must be the predominant factor, which should be considered while making judicial appointments as people had legitimate expectation to get certain quality of justice from this final court.</p>.<p>He said seven years as a judge for him has been most gruelling period of his life, it was not a cakewalk.</p>.<p>He said he could not say that he enjoyed every minute being a judge, but certainly enjoyed writing judgments.</p>.<p>Speaking at the farewell function organized by Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Justice Nariman said it is very clear that merit must predominate in judges appointment, subject of course to other factors. But merit always comes first.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/justice-nariman-a-lion-who-guarded-judicial-institution-cji-on-judges-retirement-1018895.html" target="_blank">Nariman, a lion who guarded judicial institution: CJI</a></strong></p>.<p>Justice Nariman, an ordained Parsi priest, also called for more direct appointments from the bar to the bench.</p>.<p>In his speech, he referred to senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Arun Jaitley as "his dearest friend".</p>.<p>“Arun, again was such a darling of a human being. Such a great man. And, he was such a dignified lawyer…..I have seen his rise from zero. I have seen him as a Tis Hazari lawyer…..as a lawyer he was always exceptionally well prepared and exceptionally dignified," he said.</p>.<p>After becoming a judge, when senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared before him, he recalled to have remarked, “I have beaten you hollow. You have 25 briefs, I have 65”.</p>.<p>He concurred with the views expressed by senior advocate and president SCBA Vikas Singh said "it is time more direct appointees were elevated to this bench".</p>.<p>Justice Nariman was part of many path-breaking judgments delivered by the top court, be it the scrapping of Section 377 which criminalised homosexual acts, decriminalised adultery, triple talaq ban, Sabarimala woman entry issue, Assam NRC, Section 66A, Babri demolition case. Recently, he forced the UP government to ban Kanwad yatra, and also came down heavily on Kerala government for lockdown relaxations ahead of Bakrid.</p>
<p>Justice R F Nariman, who retired from the Supreme Court on Thursday, said merit must be the predominant factor, which should be considered while making judicial appointments as people had legitimate expectation to get certain quality of justice from this final court.</p>.<p>He said seven years as a judge for him has been most gruelling period of his life, it was not a cakewalk.</p>.<p>He said he could not say that he enjoyed every minute being a judge, but certainly enjoyed writing judgments.</p>.<p>Speaking at the farewell function organized by Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Justice Nariman said it is very clear that merit must predominate in judges appointment, subject of course to other factors. But merit always comes first.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/justice-nariman-a-lion-who-guarded-judicial-institution-cji-on-judges-retirement-1018895.html" target="_blank">Nariman, a lion who guarded judicial institution: CJI</a></strong></p>.<p>Justice Nariman, an ordained Parsi priest, also called for more direct appointments from the bar to the bench.</p>.<p>In his speech, he referred to senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Arun Jaitley as "his dearest friend".</p>.<p>“Arun, again was such a darling of a human being. Such a great man. And, he was such a dignified lawyer…..I have seen his rise from zero. I have seen him as a Tis Hazari lawyer…..as a lawyer he was always exceptionally well prepared and exceptionally dignified," he said.</p>.<p>After becoming a judge, when senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared before him, he recalled to have remarked, “I have beaten you hollow. You have 25 briefs, I have 65”.</p>.<p>He concurred with the views expressed by senior advocate and president SCBA Vikas Singh said "it is time more direct appointees were elevated to this bench".</p>.<p>Justice Nariman was part of many path-breaking judgments delivered by the top court, be it the scrapping of Section 377 which criminalised homosexual acts, decriminalised adultery, triple talaq ban, Sabarimala woman entry issue, Assam NRC, Section 66A, Babri demolition case. Recently, he forced the UP government to ban Kanwad yatra, and also came down heavily on Kerala government for lockdown relaxations ahead of Bakrid.</p>