Justice Abhay S Oka Bids Farewell, Leaves Legacy of Courage and Integrity

Justice Abhay S Oka’s final day at the Supreme Court was marked by a ceremonial bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih, shortly after he delivered eleven judgments as part of a Division Bench. The courtroom witnessed a stream of lawyers expressing heartfelt appreciation for Justice Oka’s unwavering commitment to civil liberties and his fearless, impartial pursuit of justice.

Notably, Justice Oka returned to the bench just a day after performing the final rites of his mother, who passed away on May 21. Lawyers present to bid him farewell also offered their heartfelt condolences.

As he began his address, Attorney General of India R Venkataramani said, "We join you and your family in sharing our deepest condolences on the demise of your mother, we pray for the departed soul."

He continued by saying,"You'll certainly be remembered for the strong flag you waved for environmental causes. Many lessons have been taught by you in the field of human concern. They are good for governance as they will be for the community...All of us received equal treatment in your court...We thank you sincerely for the tireless work you have done. On the lighter side, it seems that by working so tirelessly, you have set bad standards for your law clerks, so that there are days when they forget to go home!"

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta concurred, describing Justice Oka as a tireless judge who always arrived well-prepared for hearings. He added that the judge was often more prepared than the lawyers themselves.

He continued, "Most amazing thing is, despite such an irreparable loss, your lordship put duty as a judge first. This is something all of us has to learn, to put duty first... Lordship would always be remembered as a judge who took a stand when required."

Senior Advocate and newly elected Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Vikas Singh praised Justice Oka for his dedication to justice.

"Even when lawyers did not win cases, they never felt that justice was not done," he remarked.

Senior Advocate and President of the Supreme Court Advocate on Record Association (SCAORA), Vipin Nair, stated that Justice Oka was a natural-born judge who dispensed divine justice throughout his judicial career.

Outgoing SCBA President and Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal praised Justice Oka for his steadfast commitment to liberty, emphasizing that the void he leaves is irreplaceable.

He said, "The judges who will be remembered (are those) who stood up for the cause of liberty through this institution...You symbolise that. You protected liberty like no one else did in this Court ...Thank you for being what you are and what you were."

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju noted that Justice Oka’s judgments were always balanced, even when they were unfavourable.

"I never felt judgment was against me, I always felt justice was being delivered," Raju said.

Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan praised Justice Oka for his simplicity. Referring to the judge’s name (Oka, pronounced ‘oak’), he said,

"The Americans say, sturdy as an oak, that's exactly what you have been for this institution."

Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy commended Justice Oka for embodying the finest qualities of an ideal judge.

"Rarely is a person so appropriately named as you were, Abhay means fearless Oka (stands for) sheltering all. You epitomise the best of a judge. Thank you for teaching us through cases like MC Mehta. You helped move institutions to comply, just by your belief that this city deserves a better environment," she said.

A lawyer who served as one of Justice Oka's first law clerks at the Supreme Court shared his experience.

"I learnt what excellence and integrity looked like in practice...The bane is that he has set the bar so high...Briefing him taught me something no textbook could ever - when to speak, how to speak and most importantly, when to be silent," he said.

Senior Advocate Meenakshi Arora stated that Justice Oka had genuinely upheld the oath of a judge, to act without fear or favour. She commended him for consistently staying true to his conscience and recalled a hearing under his leadership where it was said that a judge needs "spine, spine and spine."

"You truly epitomise that," she said.

More lawyers continued to pay tribute to Justice Oka, who in his response expressed how deeply moved he was by their words.

"Perhaps today is the last and first day where I have not stopped lawyers from speaking...I am very speechless, I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart," the retiring judge said.

He further added that it is a judge’s duty to be firm and not hesitate to offend anyone if necessary.

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