A judge should not hesitate to offend anyone: Supreme Court Justice AS Oka on last working day

Supreme Court judge Justice AS Oka on Friday said that he may have been harsh as a judge but that was only to ensure that the principles laid down in the Constitution are upheld..He further said that in his endeavour to uphold the Constitutional principles, he may have offended some lawyers but a judge should never hesitate to offend anyone."It was my honest endeavour to do that. In that honest endeavour, I may have offended two lawyers. But always I believe that a judge has to be very firm, strict and that a judge should not hesitate to offend anyone," he said.He recounted how a former Supreme Court judge had told him that one does not take up the mantle of judge to become popular. "A great judge to adorn the dias here advised me - 'you are not becoming a judge to become popular'. I followed that advice to the hilt. I was harsh only for one reason - I wanted to uphold the principles laid down by the Constitution," Justice Oka said.Today was his last working day at the top court and he is set to demit office tomorrow. Sitting as part of the ceremonial Bench with the Chief Justice of India, Justice Oka expressed hope that the apex court would continue to uphold Constitutional liberties."I believe that this is one court which can uphold Constitutional liberties. That was my humble endeavour. I am sure this court will continue to uphold liberty because that was the dream of the framers of the Constitution," he stated. The judge then proceeded to thank everyone."I am very speechless. I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. I will only cherish the memories made in this court," he stated..Even on his last working day on Friday, Justice Oka delivered 11 verdicts.This was after he flew in from Mumbai where he had to travel to on Thursday after his mother passed away. Earlier, at a farewell function organised for him by the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) on May 21, Justice Oka said that he does not agree with the tradition of the retiring judges not working on their last working day.Justice Oka also said that he "hates the word retirement" and had decided to hear as many matters as possible since January.Justice Oka was born on May 25, 1960.He did his law from University of Bombay and enrolled as an advocate in June 1983. He started practising before Thane District Court in the chamber of his father Shreeniwas W Oka.In 1985-86, he joined the chamber of VP Tipnis, a former Judge of the Bombay High Court and former LokAyukta. He was elevated as Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on August 29, 2003 was made a a permanent judge on November 12, 2005.He took oath as the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court on May 10, 2019 where he served until he was elevated to the Supreme Court of India on August 31, 2021..[Read live coverage of ceremonial bench hearing]