Late eminent jurist Soli Sorabjee performed a pivotal position in “crafting our country’s jurisprudence” and upholding the Constitutional values of elementary rights and freedom can be a tribute to him, Chief Justice of India N V Ramana stated Sunday.
Speaking at a remembrance ceremony for the authorized stalwart, CJI Ramana recalled that Sorabjee “apart from his Courtroom genius,…was an epitome of grace, modesty, humility, integrity and kindness, which always stood out to me”. He added that Sorabjee’s premature dying was a “complete shock”.
“He lived his life wholly on his terms and pursued his diverse passions with great energy. He left an indelible mark on many,” Ramana stated.
“We shall continue to remember the great human qualities he possessed which can help us through these difficult times”, Ramana stated and underlined that “his spirit and confidence in the constitutional ethos of this country, and his never-ending quest for justice should be our guide”.
Recalling his personal expertise whereas he was nonetheless a lawyer, the CJI stated that within the early days of his profession, he had the possibility to witness Sorabjee’s brilliance.
“In 1988, I met Soli to brief him on a matter relating to the then Chief Minister of my state. Even before I started briefing him, I realised that he had already read the entire file and had the details of the case at his fingertips, which reflected his dedication to the brief. The briefing lasted just 5 minutes, in which Soli asked me only two questions. To my surprise, at the hearing, those were the very same questions posed by the bench to Soli. I thought I had seen a prophet in action,” Ramana remembered.
Sorabjee began his follow within the Bombay High Court in 1953, when the liberty motion was nonetheless contemporary within the nation’s thoughts and the motion and the imaginative and prescient of the framers of the Constitution influenced him vastly, the CJI stated.
“He was a man with an unflinching faith in the Constitutional ideals, particularly those relating to the freedom of speech and human rights. He was a defender of civil liberties during the tough Emergency era. He played a crucial role in some of the most iconic cases which have defined the legal landscape of this great nation…It can be said in unequivocal terms that he played a pivotal role in crafting our country’s jurisprudence. He brought honor and glory not only to himself, but to the institution as a whole”.
