Judges must keep the demon of prejudice at bay, Justice S Ravindra Bhat bids farewell to Delhi High Court

The hardest task is to judge another human being, said Justice S Ravindra Bhat of Delhi High Court. A judge must bear in mind that he is as frail as others, he added..He further cautioned that judges must keep the ‘demon of prejudice’ at bay and realize that the character/identity of a litigant is irrelevant..“We judge only people’s conduct”, he said..Justice Bhat, who will soon join the Rajasthan High Court as its Chief Justice, was speaking at his Farewell Reference organized by the Delhi High Court on May 3..The Reference was attended by the Additional Solicitor General of India, Maninder Acharya, Delhi Government Standing Counsel Rahul Mehra, Chairman of Bar Council of Delhi, KC Mittal, Delhi High Court Bar Association President Kirti Uppal as well as the friends and family of Justice Bhat..Several advocates, young and old, marked their presence in the jam-packed Chief Justice’s Court to bid farewell to Justice Bhat..“I have no extraordinary tale to tell you about my career”, Justice Bhat said as he began his address..While recollecting the memories of his early days, Justice Bhat spoke fondly of his humble background and the undaunting support he received from his mother and father..“Swami Vivekananda was a guiding influence”, he said..He also disclosed that he decided to pursue law in the second year of his graduation at Hindu College after “public affairs caught his imagination”..“I was not daunted..never made me doubt myself”, Justice Bhat exclaimed as he acknowledged the apprehension of “slim chances” that an “outsider” has in the field of law. He also recollected the early days of his legal practice when he started as a “lawyer for poor”..“..it was a soul satisfying experience.. how life operates outside the comfortable cocoons of your life……The killing of 3000 innocent Sikhs in the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 moved me like nothing else”, he confessed..While speaking on his life as a judge of the Delhi High Court, Justice Bhat stated that a judge must always be humble and never conceited..“..this is an institution of last resort. Therefore, try to be patient and see if something can be done..”, he said..Justice Bhat also took the opportunity to advise the younger members of the bar..“Question…..Never accept anything because it is being said by a senior.. don’t accept anything which does not satisfy logic”, he said..He also urged them to be their natural self and to be confident and thorough..Sharing the details of his cosmopolitan family, Justice Bhat remarked that only the Delhi High Court could “embrace a footless wanderer”..“If I had been in some other High Court, my path would have been very different”, he said..Justice Bhat also spoke fondly of the present Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Rajendra Menon. He is the leader, the stability that the High Court needed, he said..“In spite of the recent events which affected him, he did not let it come in the way of his leadersip..”.Justice Bhat concluded his address by “seeking forgiveness” from anyone he unintentionally hurt..Chief Justice Menon said that “it was an absolutely pleasant and delightful” event that Justice Bhat was going to head one of the biggest High Courts in the country..“Rule of Law is maintained when we have judges like Justice Bhat….He is a true custodian of the Constitution“, Justice Menon added..Delhi Government Standing Counsel, Rahul Mehra said that the Delhi High Court was “losing one of its extremely treasured judges of all times”..“Law never stood still in his court.. it was hard at work in the Lordship’s Court“, he remarked..Bar & Bench is available on WhatsApp. For real-time updates on stories, click here to subscribe to our WhatsApp.