Supreme Court unveils AK Sen's portrait; CJI Surya Kant, Harish Salve pay tribute

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Wednesday unveiled a portrait of Late Ashok Kumar Sen, Senior Advocate and former Union Law Minister, at library No. 1 of the Supreme Court.

Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant attended as Chief Guest while Senior Advocate Harish Salve delivered the keynote address.

SCBA President Vikas Singh said the unveiling was prompted by an email from Aditya Sen, AK Sen's family member, pointing out that no portrait of him existed at the Court, despite a chamber block already bearing his name.

Singh said the CJI readily agreed to attend, and since he had earlier delivered a keynote on Sen, suggested Salve be invited to speak instead.

Attorney General R Venkataramani recalled briefing Sen on several occasions, including a trip to Hyderabad, and described his ability to "weave" a legal proposition together within moments.

Salve traced Sen's journey from Presidency College, the London School of Economics and Gray's Inn to becoming one of the finest lawyers at the Calcutta High Court. He recalled Sen's editorship of the Calcutta Law Journal, his private law library and multiple terms as SCBA President.

In his speech, the Senior Advocate also highlighted the pitfalls of overdose of information on social media and emphasised that rule of law must be paramount

"Our nation is at an inflection point. The changes in our polity, a rapidly changing demography, the growing demand upon limited resources caused by rising aspirations, and the overdose of information on social media are all placing enormous pressure on our society. At a time like this, we must ensure that the rule of law is in no way diminished, whether in the manner in which we work, the way we live, or the manner in which our country is governed. We must always remind ourselves that democracy is not in place because it is the best form of government, but because we have not yet discovered anything better. The aspirations of a young population require education. They require employment. None of this can be achieved without national prosperity. Prosperity, together with freedom, is possible only when the rule of law reigns supreme," he stated.

He also said that highlighted India's growth story.

"One thing I can say, as someone who now spends more time outside India than within it, is that India today is viewed across the world with a great sense of respect. The Western world is in turmoil, as we witness every day. Europe feels orphaned. The United States is making people wonder whether it ever truly had a Constitution and, if so, what it meant. Yet, they find common cause when it comes to resisting India's rise. Many still find it difficult to accept that a nation of non-white people, a country they long regarded as part of the Third World, now aspires to global leadership and has become the fourth largest economy in the world," he stated.

While strong criticism of the Government and institutions within India is essential, it must not be at the cost of denigrating the country.

"It is necessary to keep governments accountable. But we must always be careful. Whatever we say, whatever we do, particularly in this age of social media, we must never denigrate India as a nation," Salve said.

CJI Surya Kant, in his address, called Sen "a scholar of rare distinction, an advocate of exemplary erudition and a statesman of unwavering commitment."

He recalled an anecdote where Sen, when questioned on a statutory provision, replied, "Because, My Lords, I drafted it."

The CJI also cited Justice Dipankar Datta's remark that "you had Palkhivala in Bombay and Mr. Sen in Kolkata," adding that the portrait would now serve as a "silent senior" to future generations of lawyers at the Bar.

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