Supreme Court bids farewell to CJI Altamas Kabir, Bar hails him as a “compassionate judge” who heard everyone

The Supreme Court today bid farewell to Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir marking the end of his 8 year tenure at the Supreme Court. He served as the Chief Justice for a short span of nine months..The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) organised a farewell ceremony for Justice Kabir in the Supreme Court lawns. Chief Justice of India Designate P Sathasivam, SCBA President MN Krishnamani and Attorney General Goolam E Vahanvati were amongst the others who attended the ceremony..Speaking on the occasion, Vahanvati said that Justice Kabir “restored the practice of mentioning in the Supreme Court and was always ready to hear everyone”. He stressed upon Justice Kabir’s passion for legal aid and his promotion of National Legal Services Authority..SCBA President Krishnamani described Kabir as a “workaholic” and “a kind person who heard everyone, particularly the younger members of the Bar”. Krishnamani also appealed to the Chief Justice of India Designate P Sathasivam to improve upon the Collegium system so that it becomes acceptable. He said that laying down the criteria for selection of judges will go a long way in ensuring transparency..Justice Sathasivam said that Justice Kabir was known for his humility and his concern for the welfare of children and juveniles. He also replied to Krishnamani’s appeal for changes in the collegium system by explaining the working of the system while accepting that it had some drawbacks. He also said that the delay in disposing of cases was a major issue and proposed fixing time limit for oral arguments as one of the solutions for tackling the problem..Speaking on the occasion Justice Kabir said that he had enjoyed each and every moment in his career, both as a lawyer and as a judge. He also said that his dream was that “each citizen had access to justice”. He also had a word of caution for the media when he said that the media should confirm the veracity of any news before publishing it, else it will tarnish the image of the judiciary..Kabir enrolled as an Advocate in 1973 and practised in the District Court and the Calcutta High Court on Civil and Criminal sides. He was appointed as a permanent Judge of the Calcutta High Court in August, 1990 and as the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court in March, 2005. He was elevated to the Supreme Court in September, 2005 and was appointed as Chief Justice of India on September 29, 2012.