New Delhi | Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Saturday paid glowing tributes to Justice Sanjay Karol on his last day in office, describing him as a judge whose career was marked by "seriousness towards the law, sensitivity towards people and an unshakeable regard for the office he serves".
Heading a ceremonial bench comprising Justices Karol, Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, the CJI referred to his long professional association with the retiring judge, recalling that he had known him first as a member of the Bar, later as a fellow advocate general, then as a colleague in Himachal Pradesh and finally as a fellow judge of the Supreme Court.
"What has struck me the most this morning is not the impressive journey just recounted, but the affection with which it has been spoken of. The Bar remembers Justice Karol not simply for the judgments, but for his patience, courtesy, willingness to listen, and sense of reassurance that accompanied his courtroom presence. That, perhaps, is one of the finest tributes that can be paid to anyone who has occupied judicial office," the CJI said.
He said Justice Karol's quality of listening also explains what is distinctive about his judicial work.
"Over the years, he has repeatedly noticed what the law can sometimes overlook -- the unpaid labour of a homemaker, the dignity of a tribal woman, or the needs of those living with mental illness. He gave legal visibility to such overlooked realities by recognising them as respected integrals of our society," the CJI said.
CJI Kant also spoke about Justice Karol's administrative record.
Justice Karol, as the chief justice of the Tripura High Court, brought pendency down from over 60,000 cases to under 27,000 within 10 months through disciplined listing, sustained docket attention, and by taking on some of the heaviest boards himself, the CJI said.
His tenure at the Patna High Court presented a different set of challenges, the CJI said, noting that Justice Karol led one of the country's most heavily burdened high courts for more than three years, including a substantial period under the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Patron-in-Chief of the Bihar State Legal Services Authority, he also helped establish the State Mental Health Authority and continued to focus on people whose difficulties often remain outside the reach of the justice delivery system, CJI Kant said.
"It was a reminder that Brother Karol has always chosen to lead from the front. On the Bench, this rigour never lost sight of the litigant's actual problem," he said.
In his farewell address, Justice Karol reflected on four decades in courtrooms -- first as an advocate and for the last 19 years, as a judge.
He spoke of the "eloquent silences" of courtrooms and said the essence of the judicial process was not merely the arguments presented, but also understanding what people were seeking in the spaces between those arguments.
Bar leaders, including Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and SCBA President Pradeep Rai, also paid rich tributes to Justice Karol.
Mehta described Justice Karol as an empathetic judge who, even while dismissing a case or delivering an adverse verdict, would look at the person on the losing side and express his regret.
Mehta also highlighted Justice Karol's practice of appointing young lawyers as amici curiae, saying that he had encouraged hundreds of young students and lawyers by giving them opportunities to assist the court.
SCBA President Rai said Justice Karol would be remembered not only as a judge of law but as "a judge with heart", particularly for preserving dignity and giving confidence to those appearing before the court.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati recalled how Justice Karol would ask in court, "Who's the youngest in the Court?", creating opportunities for young lawyers to assist him. Advocate Shikhil Suri recalled Justice Karol telling a young junior counsel that a brief represented not merely a case but the life, struggles and destiny of a person.
Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayan recalled Justice Karol's warmth in court and particularly referred to his recognition of the role and value of homemakers.
Born on August 23, 1961, in Himachal Pradesh, Justice Karol studied in Shimla and obtained his law degree from Himachal Pradesh University. He served as advocate general of Himachal Pradesh from 1998 to 2003 and was designated as senior advocate in 1999.
He was elevated as a judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on March 8, 2007, became chief justice of the Tripura High Court in November 2018 and was subsequently transferred as chief justice to the Patna High Court in November 2019.
He was elevated to the Supreme Court on February 6, 2023.
