[Published by Eastern Law House, Kolkata, Paperback, Price Rs 990]
Book Review by Purnima Arora, Advocate, Delhi High Court
The book presents a gripping narrative of how an aspiring lawyer from nowhere navigated his way in and up to the higher echelon of his profession and society.
Describing himself as non-conformist, non-conventional and non-compromising, the author, Bimal Kumar Chatterjee, has “scribbled” his story of how a resourceless and alone Indian not only survived in the great city of British Empire – London, but also rose to such heights that he was called to the Bar from the Hon’ble Society of Lincoln’s Inn, London as a Barrister.
Having had first-hand knowledge as a practising Advocate in the Calcutta High Court, and then as Chairman of the Bar Council of West Bengal, and also as the Advocate General of the State of West Bengal, the author brings out with utmost candour, so far untold intrigues, owes and anxieties of the Indian Judiciary, including the menace of the abuse of judicial process, and the delay in the justice delivery system.
According to the author, realities of our experiences in the post-independence period lead us to classify judges, integrity-wise, under two broad heads – First, Justice A.N. Ray variety, who disregarding the seniority rule for promotion, agreed to supersede three judges senior to him to become the Chief Justice of India, at the behest of the then Prime Minister; and second, Justice H.R. Khanna variety, one of the judges to be superseded, for upholding the fundamental rights of the citizens. And then, there is also a third variety of more recent origin who look forward to some reward in their post-retirement period.
The author has strongly suggested the need to protect and preserve the dignity of the judiciary, free from any executive or legislative interference in the matter of administration and dispensation of justice, which according to him, is the first priority of the judicial system of any democratic polity.
The book also contains a brief historiography of the Indian judiciary, more particularly of the Calcutta High Court, along with an incisive analysis of the contemporary politico-economic state of affairs in the State of West Bengal.
