Justice Bela M. Trivedi who was the eleventh woman Judge to be elevated to the Supreme Court retired after serving in the highest court of the country for three-and-a-half years on the Bench on Friday.
Justice Bela Trivedi was born on 10-06-1960 at Patan, in North Gujarat. Since her father had a transferable judicial service, she did her schooling at various places. However, Justice Trivedi finished her B. Com – LL. B from M.S. University, Vadodara. Inspired by her father, Bela Trivedi chose to enter the legal profession.
She was elevated as a Judge of the top court on August 31, 2021. Officially Justice Bela M. Trivedi was due to demit office on 9-6-20257. However, as the Court will be going on partial working days from 26-5-2025 and her prior commitments, Justice Trivedi decided to demit office on 16-5-2025 instead.
Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Friday criticised the stand taken by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) in not offering a farewell to Justice Bela M Trivedi.
Presiding over a ceremonial bench held to honour Justice Trivedi, Justice BR Gavai said he "deprecated openly" the stand taken by the Supreme Court Bar Association to not hold a farewell for Bela Trivedi.
"The stand taken by the Association, I must deprecate openly because I believe in being plain and straight," he said.
"On such an occasion, such a stand-out not to have been taken by the Association," he said.
Chief Justice Gavai, however, appreciated the presence of the SCBA President Kapil Sibal and Vice President Rachna Srivastava in the ceremonial bench proceedings.
"I am grateful to Mr Kapil Sibal and Ms Rachna Srivastava. Both of them are here... Despite the resolution of their bodies, they are here. But what has been lost by the Association, the presence of the Full House here, vindicates that she is a very, very good judge. There are different types of judges, but that should not be a factor to deny what ought to have been granted," he added.
