Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai mourned the passing of constitutional jurist Fali S Nariman as an immense loss to the legal fraternity.
Reacting to the death of the veteran jurist on Wednesday, Rai said it has left an irreplaceable void. Fali S Nariman’s profound influence on future generations and the legal field is unmistakable.
The Senior Advocate recounted his interactions with the jurist. “Each interaction with him provided invaluable learning experiences, marked by his humility,” he said.
Reflecting on instances like the Office of Profit matter involving Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan, Nariman, despite representing her, prioritized legal integrity and the responsibility as an officer of the court over personal affiliations.
Engaging him as counsel for Jaya Bachchan, the Supreme Court was almost convinced that she did not fall within the ambit of office of profit. However, Justice YK Sabharwal requested Nariman’s opinion, and he asserted that the court was incorrect in not considering the benefits attached to the office of Uttar Pradesh Film Development Corporation.
“This illustrates the responsibility of a senior lawyer when providing opinions to the court,” he reminisced.
In another case concerning Ruby Hospital in Kolkata, Nariman’s dedication to his client wavered when appointed as the adjudicator by the court, as he opined against his client in alignment with the duties of an officer of the court, Rai said.
Despite enjoying a good lifestyle, Fali S Nariman ensured his actions aligned with legal principles. His demise leaves an irreplaceable void in our legal fraternity.
He had a unique working style from a bygone era, relying on profound knowledge and research methods without the aid of computers.
Recalling his generosity, Rai said Nariman had the biggest chamber in the old block of Supreme Court and when the bar required a room for medical facilities to be created for lawyers, Nariman was the first person who offered his chamber and gave it to the bar. Thereafter, he started sitting in Library Number Two and continued working from there only.
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