Justice Anu Malhotra bids farewell to Delhi High Court, to join AFT as member post-retirement

Justice Anu Malhotra bid farewell to the Delhi High Court on Friday after serving more than 37 years in the legal profession..Justice Malhotra completed her LL.B. from Delhi University’s Campus Law Centre and joined the Delhi Judicial Services on July 26, 1985. She was promoted to the Delhi Higher Judicial Services on May 26, 2000 and elevated as permanent judge of the Delhi High Court on November 8, 2016..Speaking at her farewell reference, Justice Malhotra said that she wanted to be a neurosurgeon, but her teacher told her that she was not meant for it.“I realised this in college, my dissections were very poor. If I had become a surgeon, I would have probably landed in jail because of medical negligence,” she said.She took up law because her father had been a lawyer, Justice Malhotra said.The judge also thanked the lawyers who appeared before her, from whom she said she learnt a lot.“Sitting at the Bench, we don't realise how much hard work lawyers put in. I realised this when my daughter became a lawyer. This made me a little milder also.”.She said that she has tried to live up to her ideals of being a fair, true and impartial judge.“I remembered my interview. It was a wonderful day. I was asked why I wanted to be a judge and my answer was that by being on the bench, I would be closest to my ideals of being fair, true, honest and impartial. I hope I have been able to do that.”.After her retirement, Justice Malhotra will serve as a member of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT).