“Was My Decision Right Or Wrong?”: CJI Surya Kant Shares Story Behind Choosing Litigation

In Prerna Gupta v. Registrar General of Delhi High Court, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant shared a personal story from the early days of his legal career, recalling how a senior High Court judge advised him not to join judicial service and instead pursue litigation because “the Bar is waiting for you.”

The remarks came during the hearing of a petition filed by Advocate-on-Record Prerna Gupta regarding the Delhi Judicial Service Examination. Gupta had challenged the alleged alteration of marks in the examination and appeared before the Court in person.

During the hearing, the Chief Justice observed that revaluation of answer sheets is generally not permitted unless examination rules specifically allow it. He also appeared reluctant to interfere in the matter.

After learning that Gupta was already practising as an Advocate-on-Record before the Supreme Court, the CJI asked why she wanted to become a judicial officer. He then encouraged her to instead consider appearing for the Higher Judicial Service Examination in the future.

When Gupta pointed out that she had not yet attained the minimum age of 35 years required for the Higher Judicial Service exam, the Chief Justice decided to share an incident from his own career.

CJI Surya Kant said that during his final year in law school, students were allowed to apply for judicial service examinations. Around the same time, the recruitment process had changed following a Supreme Court judgement, making the opinion of High Court judges on interview panels binding on the Public Service Commission.

The Chief Justice explained that he had successfully cleared the written examination and was waiting for the interview process to begin. By then, however, he had already started practising before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

He recalled appearing before a senior judge in a matrimonial matter titled Sunita Rani v. Baldev Raj. According to the CJI, the judge later became part of the judicial service interview panel and was aware that he had applied for the examination.

Narrating the interaction, the Chief Justice said the judge once called him into his chamber and asked whether he truly wanted to become a judicial officer. When he answered in the affirmative, the judge reportedly told him to “get out from the chamber.”

The Chief Justice admitted that the remark deeply affected him at the time and left him shaken. He believed that his aspirations of joining the judiciary had ended abruptly.

However, the next day, the same judge again called him to the chamber and gave him entirely different advice.

“If you want to become, you are welcome. But my advice is, don’t become a judicial officer. The Bar is waiting for you,” the judge told him.

CJI Surya Kant said those words stayed with him, and he ultimately chose not to attend the interview for judicial service. He even avoided informing his parents immediately because he feared they would be upset with his decision.

While interacting with the petitioner, the Chief Justice smilingly asked whether his decision had been right or wrong. He then advised Gupta not to press her petition further and wished her success for future Higher Judicial Service examinations.

Chief Justice Surya Kant began his legal practice in 1984, later served as Advocate General of Haryana in 2000, and was elevated as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2004.