3-year practice condition to become judge needed to understand courtroom realities: Justice Rajesh Bindal retires

Supreme Court Justice Rajesh Bindal on Wednesday said that mandating prior legal practice before joining the judiciary as munsiff/ magistrate helps young judges understand courtroom functioning and the realities faced by litigants and lawyers..Justice Bindal demitted office today. Speaking at his farewell function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), he reflected on earlier practices in judicial recruitment and training. He explained that at one point, many fresh law graduates joined the judiciary without courtroom experience, making it difficult for them to understand how proceedings functioned."Now three to four years of practice is required before joining as a judicial officer. That requirement was not there at one point. About 50 to 60 percent were fresh graduates, with no idea of court functioning. Directly from law college, they would come and sit on the chair of a judge, without knowing where the shoe pinches or how to solve problems, having not faced such situations in life,” Justice Bindal said. .To address this gap, he said newly appointed judicial officers were sometimes sent to courts for short observation periods before formally taking the Bench. They attended proceedings as unknown observers and watched how lawyers interacted with clients, how court staff functioned and how cases progressed..Justice Bindal also reflected on changes in legal research methods over time. He said earlier reliance on physical books and commentaries helped lawyers develop broader knowledge, whereas modern keyword-based research often limits learning to isolated paragraphs..Justice Bindal also emphasised the importance of institutional discipline within the judiciary. He said issues within the judicial system should be resolved internally rather than discussed publicly..On the role of lawyers, Justice Bindal said the primary duty of the Bar is to assist courts in arriving at correct legal conclusions rather than merely focusing on winning cases.He noted that laying down an incorrect principle of law could have far-reaching consequences, affecting future litigation and weakening confidence in the system..During his address, he also shared several experiences from his tenure across different High Courts. Recalling his time in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, he spoke about initiating the Insaaf ki Dastak programme to enable litigants in remote areas cut off during winters to send petitions through post offices and receive court orders through the same channel..On his career span, he compared his professional journey to a “20-20 match,” noting that he spent over twenty years as an advocate and another twenty years on the Bench.Justice Bindal further recalled the demanding nature of judicial work, citing instances where he and his staff worked late into the night to complete judgments in complex matters, including cases relating to post-poll violence during his tenure at the Calcutta High Court.He also noted that the burden of judicial responsibilities often extends to family members, who silently bear the pressures of the profession..Justice Bindal emphasised that cooperation between the Bench and the Bar remains central to maintaining the integrity of the justice delivery system..[Read Live Coverage]