Integrity Score 405
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On the Bench Once More continues...
It appears that Chief Justice Kania was not aware that I had left Bikaner and joined the Simla High Court when he wrote this letter.
Somehow or other Dewan Ram Lal, Chief Justice of the East Punjab High Court, came to know about this offer to me.
He thought that if I was appointed to the Federal Court, it would amount to my superceding him. He asked me whether I would mind if he tried for the Federal Court. I could have no possible objection to this. It did not. at that time, matter much to me whether 1 became the Chief Justice of Punjab or a Judge of the Federal Court. I left it to him to do what he liked. Our friendship was not in the least affected by this event. I replied to the Chief Justice of India that I would be quite willing to accept his offer. I am told that Pandit Nehru wanted Dewan Ram Lal in preference to me in the Federal Court. The Chief Justice of India and the Home Minister, Sardar Patel, were of a different opinion and eventually I was appointed.
On his retirement from the office of the Chief Justice, Dewan Ram Lal was appointed Ambassador in Italy and there he unfortunately died. Our friendship lasted to the last moment and I was sorry to lose such a good friend.
Chief Justice Kania wrote to me sometime in September, that in July he had recommended my name and there was nothing further to write till he knew that the names submitted had gone through.
“Everything,” he wrote, “has passed through as intended.” He wrote to me later on and invited me to join the Court at any time on or after the 1st of October.
To be continued...