New Delhi, 15th October 2022: Justice Hemant Gupta, who delivered the verdict in the Hijab case, has retired from the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, he said that the job of the judge is not to please the people, but to decide the cases on the basis of law. A two-judge bench of the apex court had differing views on the Karnataka hijab ban case.
Justice Gupta dismissed the petitions filed against the order of the Karnataka High Court. During the hearing, the High Court had refused to lift the ban on hijab in educational institutions. However, the final decision of the top court is yet to come on this matter. Whereas, Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia allowed the appeals.
Gupta delivered his farewell speech in the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA). He said, “A judge cannot please people. It is not his job. That role has been given to others in public life. A person cannot do his work with the intention of making people happy. I was harsh in court, was outspoken.”
Justice Gupta said being in the apex court was a “personally enriching experience” and he always got support from all the lawyers. He was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on November 2, 2018.
Justice Gupta told the advocates present in the court, “Personally speaking, I thoroughly enjoyed my innings of almost 20 years. Each day was a learning one for me and you all have helped me in the learning process. Thanks a lot.”
The Advocates were present in the courtroom to bid farewell to Justice Gupta on his last working day.
With the retirement of Justice Gupta, the number of serving judges in the apex court will come down to 28, while 34 posts of judges, including the CJI, are sanctioned. During his tenure as a Supreme Court judge, Justice Gupta delivered several important judgement, including the verdict in the Karnataka hijab ban case.