Thread by @barandbench

As Justice L Nageswara Rao holds his last day in office as #SupremeCourt judge, the ceremonial bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Justice L Nageswara Rao and Justice Hima Kohli assembles
#JusticeLNageswaraRao

AG KK Venugopal: This year seems to be a year of attrition. There are 8 judges retiring this year. We are losing an extremely good judge and a cricketer. Whenever the bar played against judges, Justice Rao headed the opponent team. Justice Rao freed the Rajiv Gandhi convict

AG: Today we cannot lose a judge at which retirement takes place. Justice Rao has delivered several powerful judgments.

SG Tushar Mehta: When milord accepted the opportunity to be a judge, I lost the favourite senior whom I loved to brief. We all have learnt a lot on administration of justice and humanity from him

Sr Adv Pradeep Rai: Justice Rao has been a judge for 2200 days almost. We have seen you in the corridors and as a judge also. We never felt that you were not among one of us. Your son-in-law is also a practicing lawyer. We have to find out something so that you are more with us

Rai: I know that you were more happy as a lawyer and you were missing the bar as a judge

Sr Adv Aman Lekhi: you had all the attributes of a perfect judge.

Justice L Nageswara Rao: I am not very sure I deserve all these accolades. I had told the then Justice Ranjan Gogoi that I still think as a laywer and Justice Gogoi had asked me to think the same way

Justice Rao: I hope if I have lived upto the expectations, I hope I have been fair and apologies If i have been harsh. Sometimes pressure of work get on us since we are not monks. I have at times raised my voice to drown the voice of the lawyer. But one side has to win.

Sr Adv Mukul Rohatgi: This bench looks like a bench favoured towards Andhra. I wish you a prosperous inning in the future. I know you will not come to bar but in arbitration you will be in the middle.

CJI NV Ramana: We both started at same time, he from Guntur Bar Association and he from Vijaywada Bar Association. it was remarkable that he gave up such a luring practice with VIP clients and took up judgeship. He has no godfather or support and is first generation lawyer

CJI: Coming from the rural background and reaching the top level in Supreme Court as among the lawyers and then judge is remarkable. I am also going to demit soon, I am very emotional since we both come from the same place. He is going to be active in arbitration field

CJI: Justice Rao will be heading the Hyderabad International Arbitration Centre so he will keep interacting with us.