The Supreme Court Judge Justice M.R. Shah recalled a song from Raj Kapoor’s movie “Mera Naam Joker” at the end of his farewell statement on Monday, while sitting on the bench for the final time and had tears in his eyes.
Justice M.R. Shah was born on May 16, 1958. In the Gujarat High Court, he practised in civil, criminal, constitutional, taxation, labour, service, and company matters and specialised in land, constitutional, education, excise, and custom disputes after enrolling as an advocate on July 19, 1982.
On March 7, 2004, he was appointed as the Gujarat High Court’s additional judge; on June 22, 2005, he was appointed as a permanent judge. On August 12, 2018, he was chosen to serve as the Patna High Court’s Chief Justice. On November 2, 2018, he was elevated to the Supreme Court of India as a judge.
Justice Shah said: “I am like a coconut…please excuse me if I start crying. Thank you all for your kind words and sentiments expressed by all (members of the Bar).”
“I am not a person to retire… I will start a new innings and I pray (to God) for good health for this inning,” and read a few lines from Raj Kapoora’s film ‘Mera Naam Joker’, “Kal khel me hum ho na ho..gardish me taare rahenge sada…”, he said and had tears in his eyes.
Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, heading the bench comprising Justice Shah and Justice P.S. Narasimha said: “It was a true pleasure to sit with Justice Shah. We handled the criminal case, the newly emerging law on GST and he was always ready for a challenge…”
Justice Shah is a very diligent worker who is “a very brave human being who does not get cowed down, an ability which is slightly vanishing,” according to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.
Mehta said: “But lordship has done serious injustice to the family, the number of judgments which your lordship has written stands testimony to the fact that your family has suffered the most and it would be now their turn to be compensated…”
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