Shreya Gupta
On 23rd June 2025, his final working day at the Supreme Court, Justice Abhay S. Oka showed exceptional dedication to his judicial duties by delivering 11 verdicts, even while coping with the personal loss of his mother.
Justice Oka’s mother had passed away just a day earlier. He had travelled to Mumbai on Thursday to attend her last rites and returned to Delhi in time to preside over court proceedings on Friday. Justice Oka, who is set to officially retire on Saturday, 24th May, deviated from the usual practice observed by retiring judges by actively participating in his regular bench work before joining the ceremonial bench with the Chief Justice of India.
Traditionally, retiring judges do not hear matters on their final working day, and a guard of honor is given around 1:30 pm, after which the judge typically leaves the court. However, at a farewell function organized by the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) on 21st May, Justice Oka openly criticized these conventions. He expressed disagreement with the notion that a judge should cease working by midday on their last day and advocated for a change in the practice, suggesting that the ceremonial farewell should occur later in the day.
Emphasizing his passion for judicial work, Justice Oka remarked that he hates “the word retirement” and had made a conscious decision to remain actively involved in hearing cases right up until the end of his tenure, a commitment he had upheld since January. His actions and remarks reflect a deep sense of responsibility and a desire to reform traditional practices that may limit judicial productivity and satisfaction.
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