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Retiring Supreme Court Judge Justice Sanjay Karol on Friday said the strength of the judiciary lies in a strong Bar and urged young lawyers to attend court regularly, make the most of every opportunity and remain courteous to senior members of the Bar and the Bench.

Speaking at his farewell organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Justice Karol said the Bar is the “custodian of the justice delivery system” because judges come and go, while the Bar remains.

“The stronger the Bar, the stronger the Bench,” he said.

Addressing young members of the Bar, Justice Karol said lawyers cannot learn the practical application and interpretation of law only by studying provisions in college.

“If you want to become a Vidwan, you will have to come to the court. You will have to come to the courtroom. Your real grooming will be there,” he said, adding, “No matter how much you read Article 21, Article 14 in college, you will never know how to apply the law. You will never know how to interpret the law.”

Justice Karol urged young lawyers to use every opportunity available to them, however small. “Whatever opportunity has come in your way, little bit that it may be, utilize it to the fullest. Never ever hesitate. But yet be courteous, both to the senior members and to the Bench,” he said.

Justice Karol also urged senior lawyers to support their juniors and “never ever let their juniors let down their dreams”. He said his practice of appointing young lawyers as amici was not an act of favour.

“I did not oblige you by appointing amicus. No. It was my constitutional duty,” he said.

Justice Karol said that apart from delivering judgments, he considered it his constitutional obligation to ensure that the Bar was nurtured and young lawyers got opportunities.

“The biggest obstacle in the life of a young member of the Bar is to stand on their legs and open up their mouth. That's the biggest hurdle. We have all undergone that process,” he noted.

He appreciated young lawyers who appeared before him, saying that they had made valuable submissions and given him insights into new dimensions of cases. “Each one of the younger members of the Bar have helped, assisted and given their submissions which are absolutely immaculate. They have given me a great insight to a totally new dimension,” he said.

Justice Karol also emphasised the role of the Bar in maintaining the independence and strength of the judiciary.

“Our strength, judges' strength lies from the Bar and nowhere else. If at all there is a custodian of the justice delivery system, it is the Bar at whatever level it may be..Judges come and judges go. It is the Bar only who is here,” he said.

He recalled an incident involving senior advocate Fali S Nariman to illustrate the role of a strong Bar. Justice Karol said a judge had once “almost ridiculed” a party-in-person, following which Nariman stood up and told the judge that the judge was wrong and that he would never again enter that courtroom.

Justice Karol said his judicial approach was guided by the principle of “broad substantial justice”. “Justice is very relative, you can't define justice. But one formula which at least I adopted is, right or wrong, I will share that with you. And that is broad substantial justice,” he said.

He said that judges should keep in mind the person behind every case. “Because behind the brief is a common man. A man who has great hopes from this institution, because this is the last and the final court where he can get his voice heard,” Justice Karol said.

On mediation, Justice Karol shared that he had requested that judges be trained as mediators and announced that he would be the first to undergo such training on August 23, 2026.

Referring to the Samadhan Samaroh initiative, he appreciated Justice PS Narasimha, observing that he had been working hard on it.

Justice Karol said that when a litigant is allowed to speak in their own language, they realise for the first time that they have been “seen” and “heard”.

“A lot of unlearning is required to be done. And I have practiced it in court. You just lend voice, lend your ears, to that litigant who comes to the court,” he said.

Justice Karol also spoke about his understanding of the Constitution, saying he had tried to distinguish between a Constitution that is “living” and the need to “live the Constitution”.

He said that judges must travel and understand the conditions of people to truly live the Constitution. “You have to feel the pain, the agony, the sorrow of people,” he said, stressing that behind every case is a common person who has placed his hopes in the justice system.

Justice Karol also urged judges and lawyers to remember their responsibility towards the Supreme Court as an institution.

Referring to the photographs of former Chief Justices displayed in the Supreme Court corridors, he stressed that judges must remember that they are stepping into the shoes of those who had held the office before them.

“Every moment of ours has to be such that whether inside court or outside court while we are in office or when we are out of office should be such that it brings majesty and dignity to this institution which is the Supreme Court of India,” he said.

Justice Karol thanked the Chief Justice of India, his judicial colleagues, members of the Bar, Registry officials, court staff, law clerks and his family for their support during his tenure.

He also sought the forgiveness of members of the Bar and his colleagues for any “excesses” he may have committed, knowingly or unknowingly.

Describing the relationship between the Bar and Bench as “a symphony”, Justice Karol emphasised that both sides must work as stakeholders in the justice delivery system.

He shared that he was leaving the Supreme Court with a deep sense of contentment and no regrets after three-and-a-half years on the Bench.

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