New Delhi, Jul 29 Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Wednesday said late senior advocate A K Sen, who also served as a Union law minister, was an illustrious son of India's judicial and legislative heritage and the legacy of the "legal titan" is as storied as it is inspiring.
Speaking at a function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for the unveiling of Sen's portrait, the CJI said the walls of the Supreme Court are replete with icons of the Indian legal system and they stand guard as much as they commemorate lives of exceptional service.
"Mr Sen's legacy is as storied as it is inspiring. A scholar of rare distinction, an advocate of exemplary erudition and a statesman of unwavering commitment, he bridged the worlds of law and governance with the grace of one truly called to serve his nation," the CJI said.
He said portraits of former chief justices already look upon the Supreme Court corridors and courtrooms.
"From the fearless Justice H R Khanna to the incomparable Justice B K Mukherjea, the walls of our institution are replete with icons of the Indian legal system," he said.
The CJI said Sen lived at a rare confluence and he was equally at home with the brief and the bill, with precedent and policy, with the discipline of the courtroom and the demands of public life.
He said while most lawyers spend a lifetime trying to master one institution, Sen helped shape more than one.
"May his presence here remind us that brilliance without balance is incomplete, that office without service is transient, and that law without humanity is barren. May it remind the Bench and the Bar alike that institutions are strengthened not only by grand judgments and historic statutes but also by the daily habits of preparation, restraint, humour and respect," he said.
The CJI said from this evening forward, Sen will sit among them as a silent senior, never seeking the floor, yet always entitled to be heard.
"It is my privilege to join his family, the Supreme Court Bar Association, and all of you in eternalising this legal titan," he said.
Senior Advocate Harish N Salve, who was the keynote speaker, said he had the privilege to know "the man, the legend, the scholar, the advocate, the warm-hearted human being" Sen.
He said lawyers live their lives as "gladiators", and justice can only be served where advocates are willing to argue fiercely but then shake hands afterwards.
Salve said, "One thing, as I would say as someone who spends a lot more time outside India than in India, is that India today is looked at with a great sense of respect. The western world is in turmoil, as we see every day."
"But they unite when it comes to resisting India's ascent. They still find it hard to accept that a country of non-white people, a country which they have always considered a third world country, is aspiring to be a leader of the world and has become the fourth largest economy of the world," he said.
Salve said one should always be careful that whatever they say and whatever they do in today's world of social media, "do not denigrate India as a nation".
"Always remember, always remember 'Sare Jahan Se Achha Hindustan Hamara'," he said.
Salve also stressed the need to correct the vocabulary.
"The vocabulary in society has become shrill and this is the world of social media. Political vocabulary has become shrill.
"The kind of debates we hear, we never heard before... But we as lawyers have always shown the way," he said, adding, "It is our duty to preserve the rule of law."
Attorney General R Venkataramani and senior advocate and president of SCBA Vikas Singh also addressed the gathering.
