New Delhi, Jul 16 (PTI) Delhi High Court’s Justice Vibhu Bakhru, set to take charge as the Karnataka High Court Chief Justice, on Wednesday said integrity and independence must remain constant even as judicial institutions evolve as he underlined “no work-life balance” but “only work” in the legal profession.
Justice Bakhru was speaking at the full court reference marking his elevation to the southern state high court when he shared, “My law researchers have learnt that there is no work life balance in this profession. There is only work, and that’s life.” Justice Bakhru, 59, said integrity, empathy and independence — judicial institution’s core — must remain constant.
“The institution evolves, but at its core, integrity, independence and empathy must remain constant. I have tried in my own ways to live these ideas… The robes may be heavy, but it is the weight of trust, and I have cherished the honour of wearing them,” he said.
The judge often witnessed an “entire spectrum” of human conflict and resilience in his courtroom for each case, according to him, was “not just a file, but a life, often fragile and always deserving”.
Justice Bakhru said though one might have practised law for over two decades, it didn’t translate into thinking like a judge.
Over the decades, he said, the Delhi High Court had grown in stature, “embracing complex matters and evolving jurisprudence, staying responsive to the changing fabric of the society, while holding tight the rule of law”.
Justice Bakhru was elevated as the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court on July 14, based on the recommendations made by the Supreme Court collegium to the Central government.
Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya also spoke at the event, lauding Justice Bakhru’s service to the institution “in different capacities for a period spanning over 35-36 years”.
The chief justice also hailed his “calm and composed demeanour”.
“Justice Bakhru is known as a man of few words in his court, and his style of working is a delicate mix of patience and warmness. During his tenure as a judge of this court, Justice Bakhru presided over multiple rosters and delivered various decisions of key public importance of the multiple subjects matters that arrive for the adjudication in his court,” Upadhyaya said.
CJ Upadhyaya congratulated the outgoing judge for his contribution on the administrative side of the court and said his role in the evolution and functioning of Delhi International Arbitration Centre is significant and deserved a special mention.
“It is a moment of great honour for Justice Bakhru and a matter of pride for all of us that a judge of this esteemed institution is being elevated as the Chief Justice of High Court of Karnataka, whereas it is a great loss for this institution as one of the senior most members of the bench is going to leave us,” he added. PTI UK SKV SKV AMK AMK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.