Sad that Justice Akil Kureshi was not elevated despite attempts by Justice Rohinton Nariman: Sriram Panchu

Senior lawyer Sriram Panchu expressed his disappointment in the former Supreme Court judge on Sunday Akil Kureshi not elevated to the Supreme Court, despite efforts by another retired judge, Justice Rohinton Nariman.

Justice Nariman was part of the Supreme Court Collegium when he was a judge of the Supreme Court. However, the Collegium, comprising four other judges of the apex court, did not recommend the elevation of Justice Kureshi to the top court even though Justice Nariman had advocated the same. Justice Kureshi eventually retired as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court.

Panchu said the Supreme Court has lost an asset as history will remember Justice Kureshi as a great judge.

“It is sad that Justice Kureshi was not elevated to the Supreme Court despite Justice Nariman’s efforts. The Supreme Court has lost itself an asset by not elevating Justice Kureshi as he will be remembered in history as a great judge.” he said.

The Senior Advocate delivered the welcome address at a ceremony where Justice Kureshi received the ‘SGS Award for Ethics in the Legal Profession’.

The award was presented in memory of legendary lawyer and former Advocate General of Tamil Nadu, S Govind Swaminadhan.

Solicitor General of Tamil Nadu PS Raman was also present at the event. He believed that many judges such as Judge Kureshi and Justice S Muralidharthose who are not elevated to the Supreme Court are often better remembered than those who ultimately make it.

“Many judges who are not elevated to the Supreme Court are often better remembered than those who eventually reach the Supreme Court. Justice Kureshi is one such person. My friend S Muralidhar suffered the same fate.” he said.

Justice Kureshi retired as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court on March 5, 2022. He was also Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court.

Despite being the country’s second-highest Chief Justice of the Supreme Court after Justice AS Oka, Justice Kureshi did not find a place on the list of nine names recommended for elevation to the Supreme Court by the Supreme Court Collegium in August 2021 .

These names were recommended just a few days after the retirement of Justice Rohinton Nariman, who was part of the Collegium and had insisted that Justice Kureshi’s name be recommended first for anyone else.