CJI recalls being scolded and asked to leave chamber:Says quit judicial service interview on judge’s advice

Supreme Court Chief Justice Suryakant shared a personal anecdote from his life on Friday. During the hearing of a case, the CJI narrated how a judge had scolded him and asked him to leave the chamber. Justice Suryakant shared this story during the hearing of a petition by an applicant for judicial service. Prerna Gupta was presenting her case demanding a re-evaluation of her magistrate examination copy, when the CJI interrupted and said, “Let me tell you my personal story. I hope after this you will leave happily, because we cannot accept your petition.” He explained that there are two paths to becoming a judge.
First, joining the judicial service as a magistrate, gradually getting promotions, and then reaching the High Court and possibly the Supreme Court.
Second, practicing law, building a reputation at the bar, and later being directly appointed as a judge at a higher level. The judge told me to get out of his chamber Justice Suryakant mentioned that in 1984, when he was a final year law student, his dream was also to become a Judicial Officer. He had passed the written examination and was called for an interview. The CJI stated that by the time the exam results came out, he had already started practicing law at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The interview panel included the same senior judge in whose court he had recently argued two important cases. He mentioned that one of those cases was ‘Sunita Rani vs Baldev Raj’, in which he had appealed in a matrimonial dispute case and the senior judge had overturned the district judge’s divorce decree that was based on schizophrenia (a mental illness). Before the interview started, that judge called me to his chamber and asked,
“Do you want to become a judicial officer?” I replied, “Yes.” At this, the judge immediately said,
“Get out of my chamber.” The CJI stated that at that moment he felt his dream was shattered and his career was over. He walked out of the chamber trembling. But the next day the same judge called him again and said,
“If you want to become a judge, you can, but my advice is don’t become a judicial officer. The Bar is waiting for you.” Left judicial service interview on judge’s advice Justice Suryakant revealed that after that he didn’t even give the interview. Initially, he didn’t tell his parents about this either, because he was afraid they would be disappointed. Then he decided to focus completely on practicing law. The CJI asked the petitioner with a smile, “Now tell me, did I make the right decision or wrong?” Finally, Justice Suryakant advised Prerna Gupta to look towards the future, saying, “There are many possibilities in the Bar.” Justice Suryakant is the 53rd CJI of the country