I feel like my right arm is being taken away: CJI says on Justice Lokur’s retirement

NEW DELHI: Two persons belonging to different parts of the country became friends after joining the same college and embarked on the same profession — law. Around five decades decades down the line, one becomes CJI and the other the senior most judge of the Supreme Court.
Referring to his five decades of association and friendship with Justice Madan B Lokur, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said that it was an “emotional moment” for him when his friend was retiring as a SC judge.Both the judges become friends while studying History in the prestigious St Stephens college and both decided to make a career in the field of law.
“This is an emotional moment for me. My association with Justice Lokur is close to half a century. In 1971 we stayed in rooms opposite each other in collage campus . He later went on to do law, while I pursued post graduation. I feel like my right arm is being taken away. All along he has been my side and I was dependent on him”.
Although Justice Lokur was senior to Justice Gogoi as he was first elevated as High Court judge and Justice Gogoi worked under him for some time when he was chief justice of Gauhati HC. Justice Lokur was elevated as an Additional Judge of Delhi High Court on February 19, 1999 and was appointed as permanent Judge July 5, 1999. He functioned as Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court from June, 2010 to November, 2011.
Justice Gogoi was appointed as permanent Judge of Gauhati High Court on February 28, 2001 and had worked under Justice Lokur during his tenure as Chief Justice of that HC.
Destiny, however, favoured Justice Gogoi who was elevated first to SC, two months before Justice Lokur and he went on to become CJI. Justice Gogoi was elevated as SC judge on April 23, 2012 and Justice Lokur was elevated as SC judge June 4.
Justice Lokur is retiring on December 31 as the senior most judge of SC and Justice Gogoi will demit his office as CJI in November 2019.