The CJI said Justice Maheshwari emphasised the need to streamline the arbitration process to make it more efficient and cost-effective and did not shy away from raising issues of importance for the administration of justice.
Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud Friday hailed the contribution of Supreme Court judge Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, who will demit office on May 14, to the legal profession and said he has shown commitment to ensuring that justice is accessible to all.
Chandrachud said Maheshwari has been a proponent of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
The CJI said Justice Maheshwari emphasised the need to streamline the arbitration process to make it more efficient and cost-effective and did not shy away from raising issues of importance for the administration of justice.
Justice Maheshwari, who took oath as an apex court judge on January 18, 2019, will be retiring after serving more than four years at the top court.
The CJI was speaking at a function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) to bid farewell to Justice Maheshwari.
"Throughout his career, Justice Maheshwari has shown a commitment to ensure that justice is accessible to all. He has been a proponent of the alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and has emphasised the need to streamline the arbitration process to make it more efficient and cost-effective," Justice Chandrachud said.
He said Justice Maheshwari authored over 100 reported judgments during his tenure as a judge of the apex court, including the verdict upholding the 103rd Constitutional amendment providing for EWS reservation.
Referring to Justice Maheshwari's speech at the 40th anniversary of CESTAT, Justice Chandrachud said he had specifically pointed out need for the executive to implement its litigation policy ensuring that it does not appeal all cases unnecessarily, adding to the ever-rising docket of courts.
"An advice that he (Justice Maheshwari) often shares with his juniors as well as with us on the bench is about the role that judges and lawyers ought to play. He would often say that, 'As judges, we do not see the person, only the cause'," he said.
Speaking at the function, Justice Maheshwari termed his tenure as a judge of the apex court a "wonderful journey" and said it was a great learning experience for him.
He said judges come and go but the institution keeps on marching ahead from strength to strength because of the continued, permanent and unending contribution of the members of the Bar.
"....as a humble servant of the Constitution, I have tried to contribute my part towards strengthening of our great institution and marching ahead of our great nation for which all of us always work together and I am thankful to the members of the Bar for their immense, great contribution and secondly, reposing faith in us...," Justice Maheshwari said, while thanking the CJI, other judges and members of Bar for their wishes.
Referring to a dialogue from famous movie 'Mughal-e-Azam', Justice Maheshwari said, "Justice is dearer to a judge than anything else..."
Attorney General R Venkataramani and SCBA president and senior advocate Vikas Singh also addressed the gathering which was attended by several apex court judges and lawyers.
Singh said it is indeed a very difficult moment for the Bar when it loses a good judge upon retirement.
With the retirement of Justice Maheshwari, the number of judges in the top court, which was working at its full strength, including the CJI, will come down to 33.
-With PTI Input