Justice BV Nagarathna talked with Apurva Vishwanath and shared memories of his father and his perspective on being a judge.
What is the one lesson from your father that you carry with you as a judge?
He never told me anything about the judge because when he retired, I had only been in practice for two years. I was just 35 when he died but his life is a lesson.
I will always carry with me the courage to raise my voice against injustice and always maintain restraint. My father said the life of a judge is not a great sacrifice but calls for an act of self-sacrifice every day. I have experienced in my life … you have to focus on your work. You may not have time to meet someone, watch television or eat…
The judicial system is being discussed a lot now. How do you outline restraint for a judge?
We judges must maintain a deep sense of self-restraint, both on and off the bench. That’s a given. No one who cannot maintain that self-restraint will accept the judge. There are many restrictions on freedom.
There is some dissatisfaction that often young members of the Bar are reluctant to accept judicial positions…
A person should be really passionate about justice, hard work. Then one is able to sacrifice … People who love their freedom will not accept it. But others, who can accept such curbs, will certainly accept the judge. So it is an individual’s choice.
You talked about your father’s thoughts on post-retirement sinecures. What is your opinion on this matter?
I’ve seen my father and his colleagues… Sometimes, there’s a feeling of emptiness because you’re away from that busy lifestyle and work. So every judge will plan his own pace for his post-retirement life… Speaking for myself, I want to be as useful as possible to the citizens of the country.
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