Speaking at his farewell ceremony on Tuesday, Justice Singh stated that judging is not just about applying laws mechanically but also about understanding the people affected by them.
New Delhi: Justice Chandra Dhari Singh, who was transferred from the Delhi High Court back to the Allahabad High Court, shared his thoughts on the role of a judge, stressing the importance of empathy, wisdom, and staying true to the law.
Speaking at his farewell ceremony on Tuesday, Justice Singh stated that judging is not just about applying laws mechanically but also about understanding the people affected by them.
Justice Singh was originally appointed as an additional judge of the Allahabad High Court on September 22, 2017, and became a permanent judge in September 2019. He was later transferred to the Delhi High Court on October 11, 2021. Following a recommendation from the Supreme Court collegium, the Central Government issued a notification on March 28 to repatriate him to his parent high court.
During a full court reference, Justice Singh reflected on the responsibilities of judges.
He said, “One guiding star for me has been the belief that judges must remain true to the law. Be sensitive to the lives affected by law… At the same time, judging is not a mechanical task. It demands empathy and wisdom… Balancing head and heart are the art of judging. I believe in being open to change in procedure, in thinking and understanding new social realities.”
Justice Singh also emphasized that while judges must sometimes make tough decisions, they should never lose their sense of humanity.
“A judge must sometimes harden the heart for justice but must never become indifferent,” he remarked.
Justice Singh turned emotional while speaking at a separate event organized by the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA).
Delhi High Court Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya shared fond memories of working with Justice Singh in the Allahabad High Court. He described him as a “hard-working” judge who always aimed to provide relief to those seeking justice.
“Justice Singh was known to be a ‘hard-working’ and ‘relief-giving’ judge aside from being a ‘people’s judge,'” he said.
DHCBA President and Senior Advocate N Hariharan also spoke about Justice Singh’s departure, saying it came at a critical time for the institution.
“With your transfer back to the Allahabad High Court and the proposed transfer of two other judges, our court faces not merely a reduction in numerical strength, but a moment that calls for deep introspection,” he stated.
He was referring to the transfers of Justice Yashwant Varma to the Allahabad High Court and Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma to the Calcutta High Court.
Hariharan also pointed out that the judiciary today faces more scrutiny than ever before.
“The judiciary, which was once viewed with unquestioning reverence, now faces scrutiny, skepticism, and sometimes outright cynicism from the public it sought to serve,” he observed.
He further elaborated on the changing perception of the legal profession.
“We find ourselves in an era where there is a perceptible erosion of public faith in the legal system as a whole… We at the bar find ourselves increasingly characterized as self-serving, callous, and mechanical, more concerned with technicalities and fee than with justice and human lives affected by our work,” he noted.
Calling for collective action to restore faith in the judiciary, Hariharan said, “This dual crisis of confidence is a reality we must acknowledge with both humility and grave concern and must work to dispel this notion.”
He emphasized the need for legal professionals to uphold the integrity of the system.
“This moment calls upon us to work together with renewed vigor to protect the integrity, reputation, and public faith in our legal profession. For the bench, it is a reminder of the profound impact that each judge has on the perception of justice,” he stated.
Concluding his speech, he stressed that the legal system must remain a compassionate and living institution rather than a bureaucratic machine.
“It must be demonstrated that the legal profession was not a ‘cold bureaucracy, but a living, breathing institution,'” he said.
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