Justice Bela M Trivedi, 11th woman judge of SC, bids adieu; SCBA ‘denies’ her farewell

Justice Bela M Trivedi, the 11^th woman judge of the Supreme Court, bid adieu to her judicial career on Friday—more than three weeks before her scheduled retirement on June 9 as she needed to travel to the US for a family function.

However, her last working day was marred by controversy as the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) chose not to organise the customary farewell for her, attracting criticism from Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih.

“I believe in speaking straightly, the Association ought not to have taken such a stand,” the CJI said even as he appreciated the presence of SCBA president Kapil Sibal and SCBA vice-president Rachna Srivastava in the proceedings of the ceremonial Bench where the outgoing judge sits with the CJI on her last working day.

“I am grateful to Kapil Sibal and Rachna Srivastava… that both of them are here. But the stand taken by the Association (SCBA), I must deprecate openly because I believe in being plain and straight. On such occasions, such a stand ought not to have been taken by the Association. And therefore, I am openly appreciating Sibal and Srivastava ... that they are here,” Justice Gavai said during the proceedings of the ceremonial Bench attended by a large number of lawyers.

“But what has been lost by the Association, the presence of the full house here fully vindicates, and the verdict is given that she is a very, very good judge. There are different types of judges, but that should not be a factor for denying what ought to have been granted at 4.30 pm today,” the CJI said about the SCBA’s decision not to give a farewell to Justice Trivedi who had ordered a CBI probe against an advocate for filing a petition based on a “forged” vakalatnama.

“I am sorry! But I must say that… I should not be saying it… but traditions need to be followed and they are to be respected... Good traditions should always continue. I wish my sister (Justice Trivedi) all success in life in whatever she has thought of for her future…I am sure she will be a mentor and guide to many,” Justice Masih said.

Attorney General R Venkataramani described Justice Trivedi as a firm judge while Solicitor General Tushar Mehta lauded her saying she never went by popular sentiments.

Endorsing Mehta’s praise for Justice Trivedi, Sibal said, “I do not think any judge of this court bows down to popular sentiment, and if he does, that is completely unacceptable…I do not think my learned friend (Mehta) is right that you do not mould the relief. You do, but you do it on the right side of justice.”

Born on 10^th June 1960 at Patan, North Gujarat, she did her B.Com. and LL.B. from MS University, Vadodara and was appointed directly as the Judge, City Civil and Sessions Court at Ahmedabad on 10^th July 1995. Her father was also working as the Judge, City Civil and Sessions Court when she was appointed. She was elevated as the Judge of Gujarat High Court on February 17, 2011 and was appointed as Judge of the Supreme Court on August 31, 2021.