Justice Gokal Chand Mittal passes away at 92

There are judges whose presence you can sense even in their silence—and Justice Gokal Chand Mittal was one of them. A judge of unhurried grace and formidable intellect, Justice Mittal passed away today at the age of 92.

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For those who knew Justice Mittal, he belonged to that quietly distinguished tradition of judges whose judgments resonated far beyond law reports—echoing in court corridors and Bar libraries long after the files had been closed.

The announcement of his passing was made by the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association. Within minutes, the news stirred quiet reflections among those who had seen him walk the hallowed hallways of justice—as Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, as Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, and later, the Rajasthan High Court.

Born on March 4, 1933, he enrolled as an advocate in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 1956, gravitating early toward the civil side of practice. Those who had the privilege of watching him argue remember his courtcraft—never flashy, but always precise. Appointed an additional judge in February 1979 and made permanent in June 1982, he was known for his clarity of thought and his aversion to unnecessary flourish.

In August 1991, he was appointed Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court. His transfer to Rajasthan followed in April 1994, before he retired a year later, in March 1995. Through all these transitions, what remained unchanged was the weight his word carried—in courtrooms and in the conscience of the Bar.

For many, he was a reassuring presence: measured in tone, disciplined in temperament, and deeply committed to the institution. He was not given to bombast, but one didn’t need volume to hear his convictions. It was enough to watch him work—surely, and always with dignity.

The final rites will take place at 11 am on June 6 at the Electric Crematorium, Sector 25, Chandigarh. But for those who knew of his legacy, the farewell is neither confined to time nor place. Justice Mittal may have walked into silence—but the law, and those who live by it, will hear him still.