I am not retiring, I am just demitting office: Justice Ajay Rastogi on last day as Supreme Court judge

On his last day as a judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Ajay Rastogi remarked that, he was not retiring, but only demitting the office.."I am not retiring, I am just demitting the office. I have dispensed my duty to the best of my ability...I have enjoyed my time...Thank you for all your kind words.. I don't know If I deserve this or not," Justice Rastogi said while sitting on a ceremonial bench along with Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha..CJI DY Chandrachud described Justice Rastogi as someone who personifies judicial compassion and sensitivity.He recalled that when Justice Rastogi enrolled as a lawyer in 1982, he was given a brief the very next day, which he won.The CJI went on to mention that Justice Rastogi drew inspiration from his father, Harishchandra Rastogi, who was a lawyer who practiced before the Rajasthan High Court."We shared so many moments. He was a great strength and support in the Collegium. We approved the names of the new judges in just one afternoon sitting, and the names were cleared in 3 days," he added..In his tribute to the retiring judge, Attorney General R Venkataramani said,"The searching questions and the serious demeanor, immediately accompanied by a disarming smile...all of this was in Justice Rastogi and we have been honored that he was a part of this institution. His intervention in the Amrapali matter has paved the way for a commendable journey. You will be an architect of peace and comfort in the hearts of many, many homebuyers."Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said,"We were all at ease before your lordship. The smile on your face and the habit of my lord to read everything caught some off-guard. But that never came in the way of clients getting justice.".Justice Rastogi was born on June 18, 1958 and joined the Bar in 1982. He served as President of the Rajasthan High Court Bar Association at Jaipur in 1999-2000. He was elevated as a judge of the Rajasthan High Court in 2013 and served as its Acting Chief Justice for a short stint in 2016. He transferred to the Tripura High Court as its Chief Justice in 2018, before his elevation to the Supreme Court on November 2, 2018.