Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Outgoing Madhya Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait remarked that the true strength of the Indian Constitution lies in its ability to empower individuals from all walks of life — allowing someone who once worked as a farm labourer to rise to the position of a high court chief justice.
Highlighting Dr BR Ambedkar’s visionary contributions, he said that it was because of Ambedkar that two person from different background - one from farming background and another from the family of former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Justice Badar Durezz Ahmed - could be sworn in as High Court judges on the same day.
In his farewell speech on Tuesday, he mentioned that Ambedkar made equality and opportunity a reality for everyone in the country.
"The beauty of the Indian Constitution is that a person from a family of farmers, who started as a labourer, and the one coming from the family of former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Justice Badar Durezz Ahmed, took oath as HC judge on the same day because of Dr BR Ambedkar," he said.
Chief Justice Kait retired on Tuesday from the Madhya Pradesh HC after serving for nine months, which he described as 'unforgettable.' He shared that the name of the village where he pursued his education even appears on Google search results in Australia.
Justice Kait said there are eight ponds and a canal in his village, and he studied under a tree till Class 10 in his school, where there were fewer classrooms.
Justice Kait began his legal career at Delhi's Patiala court, training under advocate Vatan Singh. He also recalled representing the than MP Ramnath Kovind in the High Court.
Chief Justice Kait said he was familiar with only three judges posted in the Madhya Pradesh High Court before his appointment there.
Chief Justice Kait called his life an open book.
Before coming to Madhya Pradesh, he knew only three judges posted in the High Court, said Kait. The total number of posts for judges in the HC is 53, and currently, 33 judges are posted, he said.
"I have sent a proposal to create 32 more judge posts. Once it is approved, the number of judges in the Madhya Pradesh High Court will rise to 85," he said.
Chief Justice Kait said he had called the main bench in Jabalpur for the hearing of three petitions filed regarding the construction of the new building of Indore District and Sessions Court in his attempt to get the work expedited. The work started after resolving the three petitions, he said.
