I feel like I am losing one of the lions that guarded the judicial institution, Chief Justice NV Ramana said on Thursday while paying glowing tributes to Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman on his superannuation after over seven years at the Supreme Court bench.“I think there is no need to elaborate the impact brother Justice Nariman has had as a Judge of this Court. As a judge of the Supreme Court, he has disposed of nearly 13,565 cases.
All I can state is that with judgments like Shreya Singhal (by which section 66A of the IT Act empowering police to arrest for social media posts was set aside), his opinions in Puttaswamy and Shayara Bano, he has left an indelible mark on the jurisprudence of the country. “His judgments reflect his erudition, clarity of thought and scholarly approach. This institution will surely miss his knowledge and intellect,” the CJI said.
Justice Nariman, who became the apex court judge on July 7, 2014, disposed of over 13,500 cases and delivered historic verdicts including declaration of privacy as fundamental right, setting aside Sec 66A of IT Act provision empowering arrests, decriminalising consensual gay sex and permitting women of all ages to enter Kerala's Sabarimala temple.
The CJI said that Justice Nariman had an “extremely successful practice” for over 35 years as a lawyer and was only the fifth lawyer to be directly elevated to the bench of the apex court. In the absence of Attorney General KK Venugopal, the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta delivered his farewell speech and recalled the fact that Justice Nariman was the first lawyer briefed by him in the SC.
“I wish your Lordship a happy, healthy and fulfilling life ahead and in the third innings of his life,” he said.
“Thank you Solicitor,” Justice Nariman replied. Justice Nariman delivered with path-breaking verdicts including declaring privacy as a fundamental right, setting aside an IT Act provision enabling easy arrests, decriminalising consensual gay sex and permitting women of all ages to enter Kerala's Sabarimala temple. Justice Nariman, the illustrious son of noted jurist Fali Nariman, is an ordained Parsi Priest and among the select company of five lawyers who directly joined the SC bench leaving a very successful career as an advocate on July 7, 2014.