The Hindu : Front Page : A judge and a gentleman

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 17, 2005

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A judge and a gentleman

Mohamed Imranullah S.

MEMORABLE EXIT: Justice K.P. Sivasubramaniam at a farewell function in Madurai on Friday. — Photo: K. Ganesan

MADURAI: Quoting the words of Lord Chancellor of England — that the criterion for selecting a judge is that he should be a gentleman and it will do no harm if he knows a bit of law, the Chief Justice of Madras High Court, Markandey Katju said: "That is what I also believe."

Stating that any person, who had put in at least 20 years of practice in the Bar is expected to have learnt the basics of law, he said, "The word, gentleman, which includes integrity, courteousness and human behaviour is the main criterion for becoming a High Court Judge."

Speaking at a farewell function organised to felicitate Justice K.P. Sivasubramaniam here on Friday, Mr. Katju said: "This is the third farewell I am attending today apart from the one in Chennai. The very fact that he is getting farewell after farewell shows that he is held in high esteem for his humane and courteous approach... He is an upright, honest and gentleman judge."

The Madurai Bar Association, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court Bar Association and the Madurai Bench High Court Advocates Association, felicitated the retired judge who laid down office on Friday, at different functions.

On the kind of life led by judges, the Chief Justice said, "We have a hand-to-mouth existence with the monthly salary and our sustenance is based on the respect we get from the general public and the Bar. Otherwise we have very little."

Later, Justice K.P. Sivasubramaniam, who began his speech with a standing ovation from the Bar and the Bench, said: "I am overwhelmed with the two qualities, honesty and simplicity, attributed to me. But, I wonder how else a judge could be. A Judge is bound to be honest and cannot be otherwise. Similarly, simplicity is also an essential quality. We cannot behave in a way to gain the wrath of the public."

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