“Comes and goes just like the mobile network here”, Bar talks about a retired High Court judge

It was not long back that Supreme Court judge Justice Gyan Sudha Misra was the subject matter of much controversy, thanks to her habit of coming late to court perpetually. It reached a climax on April 25, 2014, when she turned up late for her own farewell; two of her brother judges, with the outgoing and incoming Chief Justices deploring her..It seems that she was not alone in the race. Another retired judge, this time of a prominent High Court, has left an unsavoury impression at the Bar..This High Court judge, besides sitting beyond 11 am on most days, used to be absent without notice, many a time. The litigants used to return disappointed after turning up in the morning only to find that the Court has decided to give the day a miss..Worse still – the corridor buzz was that “the judge loves to adjourn matters”..“Both the parties are not in a hurry, so we will hear it on another day”, was what was heard often in the particular court..The Bar was evidently not happy. “The Judge comes and goes like the mobile network inside here” was one response..“This is quite unlike the [*****] High Court culture where judges are keen to dispose matters quickly and the Bar is relief oriented”, said another lawyer..The reluctance of the judge to hear cases and give a patient hearing to junior lawyers did not help the cause..“The judge was interested only in hearing high profile cases, and was not keen to listen to junior lawyers”, said another person familiar with the working of the High court..The initial months of judge in the High Court was quite unproductive with the judge simply signing off on judgments authored by brother judges on the Bench..The last-minute change in the roster due to retirement of other judges has also not amused many at the Bar..“A new Chief Justice was to take over in a week when the roster was changed. It was unnecessary. The roster is again likely to change when a new Chief Justice takes over”, said a lawyer..When a person at the pass counter of the High Court advises you to relax because he knows that you are attending a matter before the particular judge and “woh court gyarah baje ke baad hi baithega”, a lot can be left unexplained..Murali Krishnan is Associate Editor at Bar & Bench. He tweets @legaljournalist.