Full court address to bid farewell to Himachal HC Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq

Shimla, May 24

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A full court address was held in the High Court of Himachal today to bid farewell to outgoing Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq on his retirement. Justice Mohammad Rafiq was born on May 25, 1960, at Sujangarh in Churu district of Rajasthan.

Govt agreed to raise HC judges strength

It is gratifying to note that I was able to persuade the state government to agree to increase the strength of High Court judges by four, which is likely to be notified shortly. Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq

Chief Justice Rafiq said, “In the life of an institution, no one is permanent and indispensable. People come and go, what is permanent is the institution. Judges and lawyers have identities and they command respect in society only because of the great Institution of judiciary”.

He said there was no short-cut to success, and consistent hard work with sincerity, integrity and perseverance were the key to success. He added that it was disturbing to note that the “Gurukul parampra” was fast fading.

The Chief Justice said that it was gratifying to note that he was able to persuade the state government to agree to increase the strength of High Court judges by four, which was likely to be notified shortly. He thanked the government for agreeing to his suggestion of allotting a seven-storey building of the Industries Department, adjacent to the High Court, looking to the space constraint, which might aggravate in future.

Justice Sabina said being the head of the Institution, Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq had always guided both his colleagues and Bar members whenever his Lordship’s guidance was needed. Justice Sabina wished him a peaceful, contended and happy life ahead.

Registrar General Virender Singh conducted the proceedings. Ashok Sharma, Advocate General, Ajay Kochhar, chairman of the Bar Council of Himachal Pradesh, Lovneesh Kanwar, president of the Bar Association, and Balram Sharma, Assistant Solicitor General of India, also spoke.

Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, Justice Vivek Singh Thakur, Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, Justice Sandeep Sharma, Justice Chander Bhusan Barowalia and Justice Satyen Vaidya were also present.