CJI Surya Kant Hails Justice Sanjay Karol’s Empathy, Leadership And Commitment To Litigants On Farewell

New Delhi, August 22, 2026: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday paid glowing tributes to Justice Sanjay Karol on his last day in office, praising a judicial career defined by empathy, patience and a strong commitment to the law and litigants.

Heading a ceremonial Bench comprising Justices Karol, Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, the Chief Justice of India recalled his long professional association with the retiring judge.

He said he had known Justice Karol first as a member of the Bar, later as a fellow advocate general, then as a colleague in Himachal Pradesh and finally as a fellow Supreme Court judge.

More Than Just Judgments

“What has struck me the most this morning is not the impressive journey just recounted, but the affection with which it has been spoken of. The Bar remembers Justice Karol not simply for the judgments, but for his patience, courtesy, willingness to listen, and sense of reassurance that accompanied his courtroom presence. That, perhaps, is one of the finest tributes that can be paid to anyone who has occupied judicial office,” the Chief Justice of India said.

The tributes painted a picture of a judge whose impact went beyond judgments and legal reasoning. At the heart of the farewell was a quality repeatedly associated with Justice Karol: his willingness to listen and recognise the human realities behind cases, PTI reports.

Giving The Overlooked A Voice

Chief Justice Surya Kant said Justice Karol’s ability to listen was also reflected in his judicial work.

“Over the years, he has repeatedly noticed what the law can sometimes overlook, the unpaid labour of a homemaker, the dignity of a tribal woman, or the needs of those living with mental illness. He gave legal visibility to such overlooked realities by recognising them as respected integrals of our society,” the Chief Justice of India said.

This approach showed a judicial philosophy in which the law was not treated in isolation from the people it affected. Justice Karol’s work, as recalled at the farewell, consistently placed dignity and access to justice at the centre of the judicial process.

Leadership Beyond The Courtroom

Chief Justice Surya Kant also highlighted Justice Karol’s administrative record, particularly his tenure as Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court.

During his tenure there, Justice Karol brought pendency down from more than 60,000 cases to under 27,000 within 10 months through disciplined listing, sustained attention to the docket and by taking on some of the heaviest boards himself, the Chief Justice of India said.

His tenure as Chief Justice of the Patna High Court brought a different set of challenges. Justice Karol led one of the country’s most heavily burdened high courts for more than three years, including a substantial period during the pressures of the Covid pandemic.

As Patron-in-Chief of the Bihar State Legal Services Authority, he also helped establish the State Mental Health Authority and continued to focus on people whose difficulties often remain outside the reach of the justice delivery system.

“It was a reminder that Brother Karol has always chosen to lead from the front. On the Bench, this rigour never lost sight of the litigant’s actual problem,” Chief Justice Surya Kant said.

Four Decades In Courtrooms

In his farewell address, Justice Karol reflected on four decades spent in courtrooms, first as an advocate and, for the last 19 years, as a judge.

He spoke about the “eloquent silences” of courtrooms and said the essence of the judicial process was not merely in the arguments presented before a court, but also in understanding what people were seeking in the spaces between those arguments.

His remarks offered a fitting summary of the theme running through the farewell: that justice is not only about hearing legal arguments, but also about understanding the people behind them.

‘A Judge With Heart’

Bar leaders, including Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Pradeep Rai, also paid rich tributes to Justice Karol.

Mehta described him as an empathetic judge who, even while dismissing a case or delivering an adverse verdict, would look at the person on the losing side and express his regret.

The Solicitor General also highlighted Justice Karol’s practice of appointing young lawyers as amici curiae. He said the judge had encouraged hundreds of young students and lawyers by giving them opportunities to assist the court.

Rai said Justice Karol would be remembered not only as a judge of law but as “a judge with heart”, particularly for preserving the dignity of and giving confidence to those appearing before the court.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati recalled Justice Karol asking in court, “Who’s the youngest in the Court?”, as he sought to create opportunities for young lawyers to assist him.

Advocate Shikhil Suri recalled Justice Karol telling a young junior counsel that a brief represented not merely a case but the life, struggles and destiny of a person.

Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayan also recalled Justice Karol’s warmth in court and particularly highlighted his recognition of the role and value of homemakers.

From Himachal Pradesh To Supreme Court

Born on August 23, 1961, in Himachal Pradesh, Justice Karol studied in Shimla and obtained his law degree from Himachal Pradesh University.

He served as advocate general of Himachal Pradesh from 1998 to 2003 and was designated a senior advocate in 1999.

Justice Karol was elevated as a judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on March 8, 2007. He became Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court in November 2018 and was subsequently transferred as Chief Justice of the Patna High Court in November 2019.

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He was elevated to the Supreme Court on February 6, 2023.

As Justice Karol leaves office after a judicial career spanning 19 years, the farewell suggested that his legacy will be measured not only by the positions he held or the judgments he delivered, but also by the empathy, dignity and opportunity he brought into the courtroom.

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