Bar, bench 2 wheels of judiciary’s golden chariot, says ex-CJI Gavai

Nagpur: Describing legal fraternity as driving force of the justice system, former CJI Bhushan Gavai on Saturday said, "Bar and bench are two wheels of the golden chariot of judiciary. If one wheel slows down, the entire chariot comes to a standstill."Justice Gavai was speaking as chief guest at the installation ceremony of the newly elected executive body of the High Court Bar Association (HCBA), held at the renovated Vasantrao Deshpande Hall. The event was attended by Justice Anil Kilor, senior administrative judge of the Nagpur bench of Bombay HC, Delhi HC senior judge Nitin Sambre, former SC judge Justice Vikas Sirpurkar, past and present judges, senior counsels, and members of the bar.
Calling it his "homecoming," Justice Gavai said this was the first event he attended after demitting office. "I was always a member of HCBA," he said, expressing appreciation for the outgoing committee's work over the past four years, including the association's centenary celebrations and the felicitation of former CJI Uday Lalit and Justice Atul Chandurkar.Reflecting on the bar's legacy, he said Nagpur produced judicial stalwarts such as Justice Vivian Bose, MR Bobde, and former CJI Mohammed Hidayatullah, adding, "It is always a matter of pride to call ourselves members of HCBA, Nagpur." He credited senior lawyers VR Manohar and ex-CJI Sharad Bobde for enhancing the bar's financial and professional standing, and recalled restoring a chair once used by Justice Hidayatullah during his tenure as govt pleader. "We are proud that we belong to this bar which produced legends," he said.Justice Gavai formally declared the new executive committee installed, with Abhay Sambre elected president by the highest margin and Shrirang Bhongade as secretary. He noted that Sambre earlier served as secretary when Anil Mardikar was president and said, "There is a big responsibility on his shoulders."Justice Kilor recalled advice from former CJI Bobde when he became HCBA president: "You are carrying forward a legacy created by stalwarts." Elections, he said, bring "trust that carries responsibility and service".Justice Nitin Sambre described the bar's goodwill across benches and urged members to nurture junior lawyers and preserve institutional values.In his acceptance speech, Sambre thanked the outgoing team led by former president Atul Pande and secretary Amol Jaltare. "You laid the foundation with hard work; it will guide us," he said. "We accept this mandate with humility." He highlighted the introduction of women's reservation this year and said the election of two women in the open category would "enrich our collective".Sambre announced plans to revive the study circle for junior lawyers, address parking and seating allocation issues transparently, and strengthen coordination with the registry and bench. Continuous learning and member welfare would remain priorities, he said.