Delhi High Court Bids Farewell to Esteemed Judges

The Delhi High Court bid adieu to Justices Sanjeev Sachdeva and V. Kameswar Rao, who are transferred to high courts in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. Justice Manmohan praised their contributions, especially in digitizing court operations. Both judges reminisced about their tenure, acknowledging the diverse representation at the Delhi High Court.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday bid adieu to two of its judges, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice V Kameswar Rao, who have been transferred to other high courts.

Speaking at the farewell reference, Acting Chief Justice Manmohan said both the judges, who were elevated from the Bar in 2013, have set a benchmark in different laws during their tenure.

On Wednesday, the central government notified the transfer of Justices Sachdeva and Rao to the high courts of Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, respectively.

The Supreme Court Collegium had on March 15 recommended their transfer after they made a request to be shifted to other high courts.

''High Courts of Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka would be truly enriched with your presence. At the same time, at the Delhi High Court, we are bound to feel a void,'' said Justice Manmohan.

With their transfer, the strength of the high court has come down to 40 judges against the sanctioned strength of 60.

The event was attended by all the judges of the high court, former Supreme Court judge Justice AK Sikri, family members of Justices Sachdeva and Rao as well as lawyers.

Justices Sachdeva and Rao shared their experience as judges of the high court, saying all parts of the country are represented at its Bar as well as the Bench.

''No other Bar association is comparable to this (high court) Bar... In the morning session, Justice Rao mentioned all the 29 states and union territories are represented in the Bar. I had added that probably all 29 states and UTs are represented amongst the judges over here,'' said Justice Sachdeva.

Justice Sachdeva, who has been part of the high court's information technology (IT) committee, also said the Delhi High Court is one of the premier high courts and is at the forefront of digitisation.

''When lockdown happened and all the courts were closed, we were the only court in the world which was functional,'' he said.

''This court could ensure appropriate oxygen supply was made available to hospitals and individuals. All this could be made possible because of the digital advancements achieved by this court over the years,'' added the judge.

Justice Rao, in his address, praised the lawyers practising in the high court, saying, ''Bar is the real teacher. I leave this court as a more informed person.'' Born on August 7, 1965, Justice Rao was designated as a senior advocate by the Delhi High Court in 2010. He was elevated as additional judge on August 17, 2013 and became a permanent judge on March 18, 2015. He completed his law course from Delhi University.

Justice Sachdeva was born on December 26, 1964 and enrolled as an advocate after completing law from Delhi University. He was designated as senior advocate in 2011 and became a temporary judge on April 17, 2013. He became a permanent judge on March 18, 2015.

During their tenure of over a decade, Justices Sachdeva and Rao delivered several important judgements.

In August 2022, Justice Sachdeva's bench ruled that a welfare State is expected to create conducive conditions for differently-abled citizens by providing them avenues for public employment.

In the same month, he also set aside an arbitral award directing ISRO's Antrix Corporation to pay damages of USD 562.2 million with interest to Devas for "unlawfully" terminating a deal in 2011, saying the award suffered from ''patent illegalities and fraud'', and was in conflict with the public policy of India.

Last year, while heading a division bench, he dismissed National Conference leader Omar Abdullah's plea seeking divorce from his estranged wife.

In October 2023, Justice Rao set aside the transfer of a case involving disciplinary proceedings against 1998 batch Bihar cadre IPS officer Amit Lodha from the Patna Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal to New Delhi.

In a relief to contractual nurses working at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, his bench last year directed the institution to pay them salaries in the minimum of the pay scale given to regular nurses along with dearness allowance.

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