Madaras High Court Bids Farewell to Chief Justice N.K.Jain
TRANSFER OF HON. CHIEF JUSTICE MR. N.K.JAIN TO KARNARAKA
We associate ourselves with the learned advocate General Sri N.R. Chandran’s expression of appreciation, as also the expression of surprise stated in his Farewell Address to our Hon’ble Chief Justice Mr. N.K.Jain, on the eve of the latter’s leave taking from us to the State of Karnataka, on transfer. The Farewell function took place at the Meeting Hall of the Annexe Building of the High Court, on Thursday 30th August last at 12 Noon, and was largely attended by members of our Bar, and all Judges seated along with the Hon’ble Chief Justice, on the dais.
We are printing below the text of the Farewell Address by the Advocate General along with the reply of our Hon’ble Chief Justice. The learned Advocate General has listed out the achievements of his Lordship very appropriately, if we may say so. We only wish to add that the spirit of bon homier which always prevailed with our Hon. Chief Justice while in the company of members of the Bar, either in Court or off the Court, deserves special mention. The innovation of the New Year Day Get-together of Advocates and Judges on the first working day of every year 9.30 A.M. in the High Court’s Forecourt lawn, shows the importance that our learned Chief Justice paid to the preserving of bon homie atmosphere. Again, the concern for the average lawyer’s working time utilization is to be seen in the bringing out of newly well edited cause lists. This has served to save at least a valuable half hour of every day to the average lawyer which he was perforce made to spend previously because of the cause list being received not only “in loose sheets” (as pointed out by the learned Advocate General), but in a dis-arranged manner, which had made the matter worse. The Administration Reforms brought about by His Lordship in the formation of the Judicial hierarchy in the State, and in the administrative regime of the High Court and in the various sections of the High Court, particularly in the Copying Department regarding the Bail orders, have carved out a niche in the hearts of the members of the Bar towards our Chief Justice. He carries with him the blessings of the elders in this state and the good wishes of the members of the Bar and his colleagues who all pray to the Almighty to bestow the Choicest Blessings on Chief Justice N.K.Jain and his family for all time to come.
SRI N.R. CHANDRAN, ADVOCATE-GENERAL’S FAREWELL ADDRESS
My Lord the Chief Justice, Family members of Hon’ble Chief Justice, Judges of this Hon’ble High Court, Members of the Bar, Ladies & Gentlemen. We have gathered here to bid farewell to My Lord Chief Justice on his transfer as Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court and My Lord will be assuming the charge as Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court on 31-8-2001. My Lord Hon’ble Chief Justice officiated as Acting Chief Justice of the Hon’ble High Court thrice and was made permanent Chief Justice of this Hon’ble Court on 13-9-2000.
We hoped that our Farewell Address would be when you are to be elevated to the Supreme Court. But my counterpart at Karnataka High Court is destined to have the said privilege very soon sine 10 vacancies will arise in the Supreme Court in the year 2001-02. The transfer order came as a surprise to us. But I understand, even when it came to be known that you are being transferred, you are ready to go, awaiting the order of transfer, as is expected of a high Constitutional functionary.
Having been with Your Lordship from 19-12-1997, Your Lordship’s attitude has always been to take things as it comes without any rejoice or regret. Because of this attitude Your Lordship was able to bypass several problems. Because of the intensity of involvement n your work as Chief Justice, you had no time to think or ruminate over small things. It is customary to refer to the digest of your bio date at the Farewell Address. But I am not referring to it because I am duty bound to recount your achievements and improvements in the judicial administration as the Chief Justice. They are too many.
As a judge of the Hon’ble Court you treated the Bar very kindly and you treated both the senior and the junior lawyers alike. During the arguments you expressed your views freely and without reservation which enable the lawyer to understand the court. Your Lordship always believed that the problems coming before you should be solved rather than which lawyer should win his argument. Socrates defines four qualities of a Judge. They are, hear courteously, to answer wisely, to consider soberly and to decide impartially. Your Lordship satisfied all the four criteria, you were also of the view that law is not alien to commonsense. You brought several reforms. Initially there was resistance, later on, re-conciliation and finally recognition. We always felt that the office of Chief Justice never weighed on your shoulders and you are ready to talk of all of us on any problem whenever we wanted. On behalf of the entire members of the Bar I thank you for your courtesy.
Arrear Reduced
About your achievements and improvements my predecessor sri. K.V. Venkatapathy had referred to some of them while welcoming your Lordship on Your Lordship’s assumption as Chief Justice on 13-9-2000. Your Lordship with the help of brother judges and with the assistance of the lawyers as a team reduced the arrear f cases in this Court considerably. We are passing through an age of social questioning. Hence, reduction of arrears was a major programme in your Agenda. The records show that in the High Court 2,41,885 cases were disposed of after Your Lordship assumed office as Chief Justice. This is upto August 2001. It is heartening to note that out of these 31,353 cases were 7 years old and 1542 cases were 15 years old cases. Similarly due to your supervision and superintendence, subordinate courts disposed during the same period21,78,047 cases, of which 36000 cases were seven years old cases. During Your Lordship’s tenure eight new subordinate courts were constituted. Your Lordship got sanction for constitution of 30 Fast Track Courts in Ist Phase in the cadre of Additional District Judges to clear pending criminal cases in the State including cases involving under trial prisoners. By Your Lordship’s Endeavour Chief Judicial Magistrate in various Districts with the help of the Commissioner of Police and police officials were able to dispose of long pending criminal cases because of non execution of Non Bailable Warrant. Nearly 20000 Non Bailable Warrants were executed in the year 2000 and four thousand for this year which accelerated the disposal f pending cases. Lawyers are very happy when Your Lordship took steps to distribute the cause lists in the book form with index facility which saved lot of time and energy of the lawyers. When the cause lists were supplied in loose sheets, arranging them was a difficult operation requiring special skill. Similarly putting cause list in the Internet enables a lawyer to adjust his work because the cases listed next day is known to him the previous day.
