SC judge justice MR Shah breaks down on his last day at court

Justice M.R. Shah on Monday had tears filled in his eyes, while sitting on the bench for the last time and at the end of his farewell speech

New Delhi: Supreme Court judge Justice M.R. Shah on Monday had tears filled in his eyes, while sitting on the bench for the last time and at the end of his farewell speech, he mentioned a song from Raj Kapoor’s film ‘Mera Naam Joker’.

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…”

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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).”

Justice Shah said, “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…”, and had tears in his eyes.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said he had seen Justice Shah both as a lawyer and a judge and he is a very hard working person and “a very brave human being who does not get cowed down, an ability which is slightly vanishing…”

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…”

Justice M.R. Shah was born on May 16, 1958. He was enrolled as an advocate on July 19, 1982 and practiced in the Gujarat High Court in civil, criminal, constitutional, taxation, labour, service and company matters, and specialised in land, constitutional, education, excise, custom matters.

He was appointed as the additional judge of the Gujarat High Court on March 7, 2004 and appointed as permanent judge on June 22, 2005. He was appointed as Chief Justice of Patna High Court on August 12, 2018. He was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court of India on November 2, 2018.