On the Bench continues....

The disposal of work by the benches on which I sat with Sir Trevor and other judges was very quick. We allowed no time to be wasted and we could easily dispose of four to five Letters Patent appeals a day and sitting in chambers I could easily dispose of ten to twelve second appeals or petitions for revision. Even when presiding over a bench in first appeals. I could, usually dispose of three at a sitting. Seldom was judgment reserved.

My elevation to the bench entailed me in considerable financial loss and caused some financial worry. It is somewhat difficult to refund money that has come in your pocket. I am grateful to a number of lawyers for conducting my cases, briefs for which I had accepted and which I found it impossible to conduct, now that I was on the bench. I am particularly indebted to the late Mr. Dev Raj Sahni, to Mr. R. C. Soni, now retired judge of the Punjab High Court, to Mr. J. L. Kapur, now judge of the Supreme Court, to Mr. Gandhi and even to my son Daya Krishan, now a judge of the Punjab High Court.

During the year 1945, there was ‘mutiny’ in the Royal Indian Navy. The Government Of India wrote to the Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Rashid, to get my consent to serve on the Commission appointed to investigate the cause of the mutiny. Sir Trevor Harries had left Lahore for Calcutta High Court and Mr. Justice Rashid had been appointed in his place. Sir Fazal Ali was the chairman of the Commission, General Rees and Admiral Patterson and Mr. K. S. Krishna Swami Aiyangar were the other members. In April, 1946, I joined the Commission and conducted examination and cross-examination of witnesses including Admiral Godfrey who was then the Chief of the Royal Indian Navy. In the month of May we were in Bombay conducting the enquiry and lived at the Taj as arranged by the Government. Apart from many other incidents that happened during this investigation, I may record one or two.

to be continued...