Madras High Court Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee on Tuesday refrained from hearing a case challenging the constitutional validity of a provision of the Copyright Rules of 2013. He said it might not in the interest of constitutional propriety, on the part of a judge under order of transfer, to hear such a case.
The Chief Justice avoided hearing several other sensitive cases as well, and adjourned them simpliciter, since the Union Ministry of Law and Justice had on Monday notified a Presidential order, transferring him to the High Court of Meghalaya. For the first time, he wound up the court proceedings early in the day.
Fondly called the “10:26 judge” at his parent High Court in Kolkata, Chief Justice Banerjee continued the practice even after his elevation as Chief Justice of the Madras High Court this January. There has never been a day when he did not occupy the dais, much before the bell rang at 10:30 am. He had also made it a point to sit through the entire court working hours and beyond to perform his duties.
Voluminous administrative work, attached to the office of the Chief Justice, was carried out only before or after judicial work during weekdays. Inspection of district courts during weekends and travelling by road to get accustomed to the geography of the State had also been his regular practices.
When the second wave of COVID-19 was at its peak, he took up a suo motu PIL petition, heard it during the summer vacation of the High Court, and issued directions for ensuring availability of oxygen, ventilators, vaccines and drugs in.
