Supreme Court judge, Justice Jasti chelameswar has turned down the invitation by Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) to attend his farewell function.

The SCBA Executive Committee met with the judge a few minutes back to persuade him to change his stand. However, Justice Chelameswar stuck to his decision and refused to attend farewell function. The judge, however, agreed to formally meet all lawyers in July.

Justice Chelameswar is due to retire on June 22 and May 18 would be his final working day. The Supreme Court Bar Association organizes a farewell function in the lawns of the Supreme Court on the last working day of a retiring judge and Justice Chelameswar’s farewell was expected to take place on May 18.

As is the custom, the Chief Justice of India presides over the function with the Attorney General, SCBA President and other judges and lawyers in attendance.

Justice Chelameswar has been in the news recently after he and four other judges held a press conference berating the manner in which the Chief Justice of India was carrying out his administrative duties.

He had also spoken at length to journalist Karan Thapar on the Supreme Court and the perceived ills plaguing the judiciary.