Retired Judges Are Institutional Asset, Says CJI Surya Kant At Jaipur Seminar

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday underlined the enduring relevance of retired judges, describing them as a critical institutional resource for the judiciary.

Speaking at a one-day seminar titled ‘The Bench Beyond Retirement’ in Jaipur, he compared former judges to Rajasthan’s traditional stepwells that sustain communities during drought.

Drawing from his roots in Churu, the CJI said bawris collect and preserve water over time. He further compared this to retired judges, who accumulate experience.

CJI Surya Kant said this experience becomes invaluable during periods of institutional stress.

“Our former judges are like those bawris,” the CJI said, noting their continued contribution in courts, Lok Adalats, mediation, and arbitration.

Emphasising that judicial experience cannot be replicated, he remarked, “A judge never truly retires. Once a judge, always a judge.”

CJI Surya Kant criticised the practice of sidelining judges after retirement, calling it a ‘wasteful tradition’.

“We organise a farewell, garland them and then quietly assume that the system will move on just fine without them,” he further said, stressing that such assumptions undermine a valuable national resource.

Highlighting their broader societal understanding, the CJI added, “They do not carry merely the knowledge of law, they carry the knowledge of people.”

The Chief Justice of India, however, pointed to their exposure to diverse human struggles, from rural distress to entrepreneurial challenges.

CJI Surya Kant proposed four key roles for retired judges:

• Mediators and arbitrators,
• Legal educators,
• Pre-litigation counsellors, and
• Institution builders mentoring young professionals

CJI Surya Kant said their stature and impartiality can help resolve disputes efficiently and strengthen legal awareness at the grassroots level.

While acknowledging initiatives like Lok Adalats and arbitration centres, the CJI called for a formal framework. The framework would engage retired judges with dignity and accountability.

Quoting poet Dushyant Kumar, CJI Surya Kant reaffirmed public faith in the judiciary. He further urged the preservation of this ‘reservoir’ of experience.

The CJI concluded with a call to keep the system resilient and accessible.

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