'Live Life Which Doesn't Go Waste, Serve Justice With Integrity & Discipline': Justice Mauna Bhatt Bids Farewell To Gujarat High Court

Speaking at her farewell address organized at the Gujarat High Court on Tuesday (January 13), Justice Mauna M Bhatt in her speech thanked her mother who told her at a young age to "live a life which does not go waste", adding that she has and shall continue to live by this principle. 

Addressing the young members of the Bar Justice Bhatt further said:

"To the young members of the bar, the judicial path offers a rare privilege. To serve justice with independence and integrity...As I retire I look forward to life where I will finally read judgments without taking notes, hear arguments without a causelist and perhaps most excitingly give opinions that are no longer binding to anyone".

Recounting her journey, Justice Bhatt said that she had never intended to pursue law and after having graduated in microbiology she had envisioned her life to be surrounded by white lab coats. 

"However as fate would have its way, I entered this august institution in 1990 after my marriage. I suddenly realised that a black coat looks better on me than white. My legal journey started with appearing before Justice RC Mankad who used to take up tax matters. Over the course of my career as an advocate and a senior standing counsel of the Income Tax department I had privilege of appearing before finest judges of this country has seen in terms of taxation laws, integrity and demeanour. During those years I learnt that intellectual honesty, institutional discipline and collective responsibility is the paramount requirement to be maintained...I am thankful to all these judges who helped me in shaping my career," she said. 

She said that she learned from these judges to get clarity on the section before going to the judgments, a quality which helped her decide matters while sitting on the bench.

She further said, "It just so happened that while I was arguing a matter relating to interpretation of subsection 15 of Section 2 of Income Tax Act, Hon'ble Justice JB Pardiwala, now judge of Supreme Court of India, remarked from the dais that my experience can better serve this institution. As destiny had designed the dice rolled very quickly and I was called by the then Hon'ble Chief Justice Vikram Nath now Hon'ble judge of Supreme Court of India, who invited me to join the bench. I owe my judicial career to both these wonderful Hon'ble judges and would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart". 

She further thanked Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal as well as her brother and sister judges for their support. 

Justice Bhatt further thanked her family–her parents, husband, in-laws and children for their support, encouragement and love. She also thanked the high court's registry and her staff. 

To the bar member she said, "As I take leave of this esteemed institution I carry with me not only precious memories of cases and judgments but warmth and support and companionship from members of the bar. You have been my greatest teachers".

The ceremony was attended by the judges of the high court, advocate general Kamal Trivedi, senior advocate and Gujarat High Court Advocates Association President Yatin Oza, other bar members, court staff and Justice Bhatt's family.

Born on January 15, 1964 Justice Bhatt after completing Bachelors of Science (Microbiology) in 1984 from Sardar Patel University, had studied Diploma in Medical and Laboratory Technology in 1985 and had worked at Karamsad Medical Hospital and College.

She thereafter completed her LL.B. from L.A. Shah Law College in 1990. She was appointed as a Senior Standing Counsel for the Income Tax Department in 2002 and continued to remain on the said Panel till her elevation to the Bench.