No farewell party, please: Justice Chandru

Madras High Court judge Justice K Chandru believes in leading by example.

Weeks away from taking his final bow as a presiding officer, the upright, down-to-earth, workaholic judge hopes to set another trend. He does not want a farewell party on his retirement. He wants March 8, the day he is due to retire, to be just another day.

In a letter to Acting Chief Justice R K Agrawal last week, Justice Chandru said: “The practice of this court (in the name of tradition) is to have a farewell address in which the advocate-general makes a farewell speech followed by a reply by the retiring judge. After the event, there will be a high tea and photo session. A dinner in a five star hotel or elsewhere will also be organized. To end it, a memento is given to the departing judge. The ritual of a farewell meeting to a retired judge must be put an end to… I request you not to order for a farewell meeting followed by high tea and photograph as well as dinner and presenting of a memento on my retirement. I will be happy if March 8 passes off as any other day in this court.”

Justice Chandru had already requested advocates not to address him as ‘My Lord’. “A simple ‘Sir’ is enough, he said. That many advocates chose not to follow the request is a different matter.

The judge had already dispensed with the proceeds of daffedar carrying a ceremonial staff before him.