MUMBAI: Two weeks after the SC collegium recommended Justice Ramesh D Dhanuka as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court but dependent on the appointment of Justice Sanjay V Gangapurwala, Acting Chief Justice of Bombay HC, as Chief Justice of Madras High Court, with no warrants of appointment yet issued, he was accorded a warm farewell on Wednesday by lawyers at the HC. After the central government approves the SC Collegium recommendation, Justice Dhanuka, who is the senior-most puisine judge at the Bombay HC would have short tenure as Chief Justice of Bombay HC as he is set to retire as HC judge on May 30. With his warrant of appointment by the President not yet issued, and since May 4 is the last working day before the onset of the court summer vacation, the Bombay Bar Association–India’s oldest such bar–had on Wednesday organised a farewell tea-party of Justice Dhanuka in the Bar Association premises on the third floor of the HC.
Justice Dhanuka, who hailed from a vernacular medium, and was praised by advocate Vishal Kanade as BBA Secretary for being kind to junior lawyers, at the packed farewell spoke of his relationship with juniors by sharing his own. He said his first appearance before the HC was before very erudite Justice SP Bharucha Bharucha and he said he spent all night memorising what to say in English and at then end of his memorised submission, he got relief with the Judge only saying in his inimitable style, “alright.” He spoke of his experience where he said as a junior he knows how much problems they had to face. He said in one case his senior sent him to seek an adjournment and the Judge was willing to pass a decree in his favour, but he said he insisted on an adjournment saying else his senior would fire him. He got a six week adjournment when he had asked for two. His happiness, needless to say, was short lived, he said.
He said his training as a junior lawyer would be to attend different courts to see how seniors argue. “Why I give little hearing in court to juniors, so that what happened with me should not happen to others.” He said when a new young co-Judge on the bench gets impatient, “I usually would say, let’s hear for another five minutes and then dismiss” to emphasise it is important to encourage junior lawyers at the bar.
Judges don’t decide based on petitions , the persuasiveness of counsel or even party in person helps in deciding matters, said Justice Dhanuka.
“My senior told me when I was a young lawyer, ignore what other lawyers say or joke about, “we are officers of the court and we must protect the dignity of Judges,” he said in his talk.
Son of a former HC Judge, Justice D R Dhanuka, his legal journey began when he graduated with a law degree in 1985 from Bombay University and practiced law particularly civil with focus on Arbitration, Companies Act, Suits, testamentary laws and Municipal law apart from service and rent laws
Justice Dhanuka, quick, no-nonsense and to the point in court and in his judgements, said HC judgeship is a call of service to the nation.
Born on May 31, 1961 and was appointed Judge of the HC on January 23,2012.
At the end of over a decade as a Judge of the HC he said I am now asked what will you do in the future,” what are your plans?” “So since last two three months when I see SMS there is an offer already made to me, a part time job for ?350 a day in a call centre,” he said poker faced eliciting much laughter.
Justice Dhanuka, who hailed from a vernacular medium, and was praised by advocate Vishal Kanade as BBA Secretary for being kind to junior lawyers, at the packed farewell spoke of his relationship with juniors by sharing his own. He said his first appearance before the HC was before very erudite Justice SP Bharucha Bharucha and he said he spent all night memorising what to say in English and at then end of his memorised submission, he got relief with the Judge only saying in his inimitable style, “alright.” He spoke of his experience where he said as a junior he knows how much problems they had to face. He said in one case his senior sent him to seek an adjournment and the Judge was willing to pass a decree in his favour, but he said he insisted on an adjournment saying else his senior would fire him. He got a six week adjournment when he had asked for two. His happiness, needless to say, was short lived, he said.
He said his training as a junior lawyer would be to attend different courts to see how seniors argue. “Why I give little hearing in court to juniors, so that what happened with me should not happen to others.” He said when a new young co-Judge on the bench gets impatient, “I usually would say, let’s hear for another five minutes and then dismiss” to emphasise it is important to encourage junior lawyers at the bar.
Judges don’t decide based on petitions , the persuasiveness of counsel or even party in person helps in deciding matters, said Justice Dhanuka.
“My senior told me when I was a young lawyer, ignore what other lawyers say or joke about, “we are officers of the court and we must protect the dignity of Judges,” he said in his talk.
Son of a former HC Judge, Justice D R Dhanuka, his legal journey began when he graduated with a law degree in 1985 from Bombay University and practiced law particularly civil with focus on Arbitration, Companies Act, Suits, testamentary laws and Municipal law apart from service and rent laws
Justice Dhanuka, quick, no-nonsense and to the point in court and in his judgements, said HC judgeship is a call of service to the nation.
Born on May 31, 1961 and was appointed Judge of the HC on January 23,2012.
At the end of over a decade as a Judge of the HC he said I am now asked what will you do in the future,” what are your plans?” “So since last two three months when I see SMS there is an offer already made to me, a part time job for ?350 a day in a call centre,” he said poker faced eliciting much laughter.
