The Hindu : National : Krishna Iyer's commendation

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Sunday, Jan 14, 2007
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Krishna Iyer's commendation

K. Venkiteswaran

KOCHI: Congratulating K.G. Balakrishnan, who is to be sworn in Chief Justice of India on Sunday, retired Supreme Court Judge V.R. Krishna Iyer, in a statement, says:

"It is a pride of Kerala, and in a deeper sense, of India that Sri K.G. Balakrishnan, belonging by birth to the humblest community, but by humanist disposition, legal faculty and moral uprightness has arrived at the highest seat in the Apex Court. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan is today the Chief Justice of India, the highest office any member of the judicial echelon can aspire for.

I know him from the time he occupied the youngest office of the Bench and I behold him now as sitting in the top most office. No arrogance, no vanity, no pretension to greatness, no aloofness from the people. These are the virtues we may consider in him as the rarest of the rare in the judiciary. He has had experience as Chief Justice of two high courts, a necessary equipment in the administration of the Supreme Court, so valuable, so difficult, so helpful to make him the leader of the vast and powerful institution, the Indian judicature. He has well over three years as his tenure and I feel confident his performance will leave an indelible imprint on the Indian Court system so that we may be able to call this period the Balakrishnan era.

To you, Justice Balakrishnan, I may venture to offer a word of advice in all modesty. Ever remember the first few words of the Constitution, "We, the People of India." Never forget that justice is the right of the lowliest people. Your oath of office tells you that you will uphold the Republic of India as a socialist, secular, democratic institution. You shall never surrender to the Proprietariat since the billion-strong Indians look to you for social justice, economic equality and political neutrality beyond the bunch of billionaires who hold the country as their private asset.

Justice K.G. Balakrishnan will be the people's judge, not influenced by India Incorporated or by big powers like the U.S. You belong to us. History has made him what he is."

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