The Hindu : New Delhi News : Justice Shah retires hurt after a long innings

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Justice Shah retires hurt after a long innings

Staff Reporter

Justice A. P. Shah

NEW DELHI: Delhi High Court Chief Justice A. P. Shah is hurt at not being elevated to the Supreme Court. “It is for the people to judge. It would not be fair on my part to comment on that. But I cannot pretend not to be hurt. The sense of hurt is always there,” he said on Thursday.

Justice Shah voiced his anguish over his supersession for elevation to the Supreme Court during an interactive session with reporters in the High Court a couple of days before his impending retirement on February 13. Thursday was his last working day in office, as Friday and Saturday are holidays.

During the hour-long interaction, Justice Shah touched upon several important issues ranging from his post-retirement plans, striking down of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code making consensual sex between two consenting adults legal, to misuse of the mechanism of public interest litigation and corruption in the judiciary.

Corruption in judiciary

Commenting on corruption in the judiciary, he said prevalence of corruption could not be denied. However, the top judiciary was more or less transparent, he added.

Talking about his post-retirement plans after a distinguished career, he said he was very impressed by the work of the late social activist Baba Amte for mentally-challenged people. He now plans to work with Baba Amte’s son, Prakash Amte, at the Anand Wan Ashram in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra.

About his historic judgment on Section 377, Justice Shah said the provision was destined to be struck down by him though 30 years ago he was of the opinion that Indian courts would not dare to make homosexuality legal.

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