‘Life is Worth a Smile’: Supreme Court Judge Kurian Joseph Retires

Justice Kurian Joseph retired as a Supreme Court judge on 29 November. 

(Photo: The Quint)

Justice Kurian Joseph, the third senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, retired on Thursday, 29 November. Lawyers bid adieu to Justice Joseph and said he was one of the most “popular” judges in the recent times with a “pleasant smile,” reported news agency PTI.

The judge, who was elevated to the top court on 8 March 2013, said:

“Life is worthwhile with a smile. If you smile, others smile at you and there is a mile of smile and all because life is worth a smile.”

Justice Kurian Joseph, as quoted by PTI

On his final day, Justice Joseph was sitting in court room number 1 along with Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and his family members.

At the beginning of the day's proceedings, CJI Gogoi, while issuing a notice on a petition, reportedly said, "Today, I will not disagree with my brother (Justice Joseph)."

CJI Ranjan Gogoi (left) with Justice Kurian Joseph. 

Senior lawyer and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Vikas Singh rose to bid farewell and said: "(The) Bar wishes farewell to one of the most popular judges.”

“I want to say that Justice Joseph has been one of the most popular judges in the recent times.”

SCBCA President Vikas Singh, as quoted by PTI

Attorney General KK Venugopal also praised the judge, saying, "We are going to miss Your Lordship's smile.”

Former Attorney General and Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi joined his successor in praising Justice Joseph and reportedly said, “I urge the Chief Justice to replace him with a judge who has the same pleasant smile.”

Senior advocates Rajeev Dhavan and Indira Jaising were among the others who commended Justice Joseph’s tenure.

Justice Kurian Joseph being presented a memento by the members of Bar Council as CJI Ranjan Gogoi looks on, during the former’s farewell function at the Supreme Court on 29 November.

Later in the day, Justice Joseph came to the press lounge inside the Supreme Court premises and thanked journalists for accurately reporting judgments and proceedings of his court.

"I thank you. The spirit of the judgment is always conveyed by you journalists," he said, extending an invitation for a cup of tea at his official residence in Delhi.

Who is Justice Kurian Joseph?

Justice Joseph had assumed office as a judge in the Kerala High Court on 12 July 2000 and had served as the acting chief justice of the high court twice.

He was later appointed the chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on 8 February 2010, and was then elevated to the apex court in 2013.

Justice Kurian Joseph was one of the four senior judges to have conducted the unprecedented 12 January presser, mounting a virtual revolt against the then CJI Dipak Misra.

Along with Justices Ranjan Gogoi, J Chelameswar and Madan B Lokur, he had raised questions on "selective" allocation of cases, including the death of special CBI judge BH Loya.

Justice Joseph had extensively volunteered at the two relief collection drives organised by lawyers in Delhi after Kerala was hit by one of its worst floods in August this year. His brother and his sister were displaced, and the floods had also damaged his Ernakulam house, reported NDTV.

He was seen singing along with Justice KM Joseph and singer Mohit Chauhan to raise funds an a relief programme.

On Wednesday, 28 November, Justice Joseph was part of a three-judge bench that commuted the death sentence of a man and awarded him life-term for murdering three people.

65-year-old Justice Joseph was also part of the five- judge bench, which – by a majority of 3:2 – had ruled the practice of divorce through triple talaq among Muslims as "void", "illegal" and "unconstitutional.”

Justice Joseph was in the Constitution bench headed by Justice JS Khehar that had scrapped the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act to deal with appointments in the higher judiciary.

(With inputs from PTI and NDTV)