‘First a judge, then a chief’, TN gets its 42nd CJ

Speaking after being sworn in as the 42nd Chief Justice of MHC at the Raj Bhavan by TN Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee said: “Fifteen years ago, I took an oath to serve the Constitution with all sincerity and with all my passion, knowledge and experience. Today, I take the same oath. I promise to uphold the Constitution and ensure that the Constitutional promise reaches to the lowest in the country and the State.”

Also, on pointing out that a Chief Justice is first a judge and only then a Chief, he said: “I hope I am heard less and read more often, that I am effective without being obtrusive, and that I make every endeavour to fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run.

“Towards such an endeavour, I look forward to your cooperation, particularly from the Bar,” he said.

Chief Justice Banerjee, on highlighting West Bengal’s legacy of intellectual curiosity and rich history of literature, music, dance art, and architecture, said: “Today I feel I have come to another home, a land with equally strong traditions, a literary inheritance that is unsurpassed, a music that is distinctive, classical dances that epitomise grace and control, ancient learning and wisdom that I am eager to understand as comprehensively as possible.”

Advocate General Vijay Narayan welcomed the CJ at the felicitation function whileChairman, Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, PS Amalraj, MHC Advocates Association president G Mohanakrishnan, Madras Bar Association president ARL Sundaresan and Women Lawyers’ Association president Louisal Ramesh offered felicitations.