Speaking on the occasion, CJI-designate Justice Chandrachud lauded CJI Lalit for “showing remarkable leadership” and said “during my tenure, I hope to provide continuity to all the good work that Chief Justice Lalit has begun”.
Chief Justice of India U U Lalit Monday recalled the promises he made while taking over in August this year and said he has fulfilled them “to a certain extent.”
“As I stand before you I remember certain promises which I made when I took over as Chief Justice of India. And I said that I will try to streamline the listing patterns, I will see that there is at least one constitution bench functioning all through, I will see that regular matters are listed at an expedited date and ease the mentioning part”, CJI Lalit, who is set to retire Tuesday, said while addressing a farewell event organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association. “I must say to a certain extent I have been able to fulfil those promises,” he said adding that “from the first day I took over till today, we have been able to dispose of more than 10,000 matters. In addition we have also disposed of 13,000 matters which were lying in defect for several years, but they were simply being maintained on the file”.
The disposal figure was thus 1,300 more than the filing, he said adding “which means to a certain extent we have been able to take a slice out of the mounting arrears”.
CJI recalled that soon after taking over, a full-court meeting had decided that all judges would be part of some constitution bench or the other. And it worked and there were days when as many as three constitution benches were functioning simultaneously, he said.
Many death reference matters were also taken up by three-judge combinations, he said and pointed out that all this was possible only because of tremendous support from other judges and the Bar.
The CJI said he had come first to the SC to mention a matter before the then CJI Y V Chandrachud, “That was my first day. Now I am passing on the baton to the son of that illustrious Chief Justice, Justice D Y Chandrachud,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, CJI-designate Justice Chandrachud lauded CJI Lalit for “showing remarkable leadership” and said “during my tenure, I hope to provide continuity to all the good work that Chief Justice Lalit has begun”.