A Golden Era

Hon'ble Mr. Justice V. Ramaswamy

Former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court

       I recall with pride and satisfaction my period of service as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court from November 1987 to October 1989.  The Punjab and Haryana Bar is an extremely good, hard working and intelligent Bar.  The President and executive committee of the Bar gave me the fullest co-operation, with the result the High Court was able to show that the disposals were more than the filing.  In fact, the then Union Law Minister complimented me on this fact which no other High Court was able to achieve.

       The government of the day was also very helpful and gave whatever financial help the High Court needed.  I was able to get financial sanction for construction of the Additional High Court Building, which included provision for the Bar.  The government also gave the land and sanctioned the project for the construction of the District Court complex at Patiala.  I am  happy to know that both these projects have now been completed and magnificent structures have been raised.

       I have to mention one other important project which I had initiated.  That is the plan for construction of Additional Law Chambers for the Lawyers.  Considering the inadequate accommodation available and also the future developments I wanted to construct an additional building for the Lawyers Chamber.  When we tried to locate it in a particular place we found that there was an encroachment on the High Court land. 

       I have to mention here and appreciate the help rendered by the then President of the Bar, Shri Ashok Bhan (as he then was, now Hon'ble Judge of the Supreme Court of India) in recovering back the land.  He offered to file a writ petition and actually filed one such petition for removal of the encroachment.  However, on my bringing this to the notice of the then Governor the matter was settled and the encroached portion recovered.  A detailed plan for the construction was prepared and marked on ground.  In order to make it an on going work I laid the foundation stone for the additional building along wit the then President of the Bar Shri Ashok Bhan.  I am sorry to learn that the project was not completed.  IT would be attribute to the then President Ashok Bhan if the construction is taken up and completed at an early date, which I have no doubt will be a great boon to the Bar.  No Court could successfully function without the fullest co-operation of the Bar and for such co-operation the Bar should have the necessary  infrastructure facilities.

       We had an excellent subordinate Judiciary.  During my period we held a District Judges conference at Chandigarh, in order to access the difficulties in their functioning and how to improve the judicial administration in the States.  It was a very successful conference.

       I got excellent co-operation from my colleague Judges but for whose co-operation, help and advice I could not have been a happy and successful Chief Justice.  The Registrars and the staff of the High Court were also very co-operative and willing to accept any changes in the administrative structure which I proposed in the interest of better administration.

       I consider my Judicial career in Punjab and Haryana High Court as a golden era, thanks to every body concerned.