Senior-most Supreme Court judge, Justice Jasti Chelameshwar, has declined an invitation from the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for his farewell function. Justice Chelameshwar was one of the four top judges who had held a historic press conference on January 12. The other three judges were – Justices Ranjan Gogoi, M B Lokur and Kurian Joseph.
Justice Chelameshwar has cited personal reasons for skipping his farewell. The top court judge also told the members of the bar that he had not accepted a farewell earlier when he was moving out of the Andhra Pradesh High Court to another high court.
Speaking to news agency Press Trust of India, SCBA president Vikas Singh said the bar body met Justice Chelameshwar last week and invited him for the farewell on May 18.
“He declined the invite for the farewell function,” Singh told PTI. Singh said members of the executive committee of SCBA once again tried to persuade Justice Chelameshwar for the same on Wednesday. However, the judge did not agree, citing personal reasons.
Vikrant Yadav, honorary secretary of SCBA, said the senior most judge today met the members of the bar at his residence. The judge had a conversation with the members but declined the invite for his farewell.
Yadav said as per tradition, a farewell is thrown on the last working day before holidays on a judge’s retirement during the vacation. Also, Justice Chelameswar did not come to the apex court for judicial work on Wednesday. The senior most judge has been missing his work for three consecutive weeks now. He is also missing the traditional Wednesday lunch of the judges when one of them takes a turn to bring ‘ghar ka khana’ (home food) from his or her home state.
