Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Thursday recalled how opposition from bar associations had derailed the Supreme Court’s efforts to revive the appointment of retired judges as ad hoc judges in high courts.
No chief justice can risk annoying the bar, the court remarked. The observations were made by a bench comprising CJI Surya Kant, and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, while considering issue seniority of judicial officers in Rajasthan. The court also discussed issue of loss of valuable judicial experience when retired judges are unable to return to service. Justice Bagchi also recalled meeting a woman judge in the United States highlighting how judicial expertise could continue to be utilised well beyond retirement. Article 224A of the Constitution empowers the Chief Justice of a High Court, with the consent of the President, to request a retired judge of that or another High Court to sit and act as a judge of the High Court.
