Justice must have human face: Outgoing CJI Dipak Misra

New Delhi, Oct 1: Outgoing Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on Monday said that Indian judiciary has been strongest judiciary in the world having capability to handle mind boggling number of case.

"Our judiciary has been strongest judiciary in the world having capability to handle mind boggling number of cases," Justice Misra, who will retire as the CJI Tuesday, said while speaking at the farewell function organised at the premises of the Supreme Court.

The outgoing CJI said, "Justice must have human face".

"History can be sometimes kind, and unkind. I don't judge people by their history but by their activities, perspective," the CJI said.

"In my whole career as a judge, I never dissociated myself from the lady of equity," Justice Misra said.

"I am indebted to Bar at every level and go from here with satisfaction, he added.

Chief Justice of India-designate Ranjan Gogoi, who will take over Misra from October 3, is among the Supreme Court judges present at the event. The event was also be attended by Attorney General of India K K Venugopal and senior advocates.

CJI Dipak Misra held court, along with his successor Ranjan Gogoi, for the last time on Monday, stopping a lawyer who broke into song to wish him a long life to say he was "responding from the heart" but will speak from his mind in the evening.

CJI Misra, who presided over benches that delivered a series of key verdicts like the one on Aadhaar and homosexuality during the last 10 days, appeared to be emotional during the brief court proceedings that lasted about 25 minutes.

Justice Misra was appointed an additional judge of the Orissa High Court on January 17, 1996, before his transfer to the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

He became a permanent judge on December 19, 1997. He assumed charge of the office of chief justice of Patna High Court on December 23, 2009, and became chief justice of the Delhi High Court on May 24, 2010.

He was elevated as a judge of the apex court on October 10, 2011, and became the Chief Justice on August 28, 2017.