Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai mourned the passing of constitutional jurist Fali S Nariman as an immense loss to the legal fraternity.

Reacting to the death of the veteran jurist on Wednesday, Rai said it has left an irreplaceable void. Fali S Nariman’s profound influence on future generations and the legal field is unmistakable.

The Senior Advocate recounted his interactions with the jurist. “Each interaction with him provided invaluable learning experiences, marked by his humility,” he said.

Reflecting on instances like the Office of Profit matter involving Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan, Nariman, despite representing her, prioritized legal integrity and the responsibility as an officer of the court over personal affiliations.

Engaging him as counsel for Jaya Bachchan, the Supreme Court was almost convinced that she did not fall within the ambit of office of profit. However, Justice YK Sabharwal requested Nariman’s opinion, and he asserted that the court was incorrect in not considering the benefits attached to the office of Uttar Pradesh Film Development Corporation. “This illustrates the responsibility of a senior lawyer when providing opinions to the court,” he reminisced.

In another case concerning Ruby Hospital in Kolkata, Nariman’s dedication to his client wavered when appointed as the adjudicator by the court, as he opined against his client in alignment with the duties of an officer of the court, Rai said.

Despite enjoying a good lifestyle, Fali S Nariman ensured his actions aligned with legal principles. His demise leaves an irreplaceable void in our legal fraternity. He had a unique working style from a bygone era, relying on profound knowledge and research methods without the aid of computers.

Recalling his generosity, Rai said Nariman had the biggest chamber in the old block of the Supreme Court and when the bar required a room for medical facilities to be created for lawyers, Nariman was the first person who offered his chamber and gave it to the bar. Thereafter, he started sitting in Library Number Two and continued working from there only.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday lauded Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud saying, Lord Krishna was speaking through CJI Chandrachud while announcing the verdict on Chandigarh mayoral elections.

Addressing the Delhi Assembly, Kejriwal hit out at the BJP and said the situation in the country is such that there is unrighteousness everywhere. Speaking on Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain, said those who built schools and hospitals for people are in jail today. Pointing out to the BJP, Kejriwal further said that even if people have been fed up with them, they are confident that they’ll win 370 seats.

He also questioned how BJP will win 370 seats, adding that, there must be something wrong, maybe EVM has been fixed or something else. There was so much sin that lord Krishna decided to interfere himself, he charged. It was no coincidence that cameras captured BJP’s sins in Chandigarh’s mayoral election and the way SC had given its verdict, it seems god was speaking through CJI Chandrachud.

He said that few people hesitate to cast their vote because they think there has been an issue with EVM but Kejriwal still appealed to them to cast their vote and leave the rest thing on god. Speaking on Anil Masih, who was involved in tempering voting paper in Chandigarh Mayoral polls, said he was just a pawn and he has been given punishment but his masters should be punished as well.

Hitting out at Centre, Kejriwal said that Adharma (unrighteousness) has been spread everywhere, and people have started thinking that truth and honesty have no place. Good people lost their faith due to the dominance of Adharma.

He further said that, in such circumstances, god established faith by taking out people from the obstacles. In this country, a similar situation has emerged as he said in Hindi, Charon Taraf Adharma Ka Bolbala Hai (everywhere there is a dominance of unrighteousness). People have begun thinking that there was no point in walking on the path of truth, those who were indulged in wrong acts and conspiring have been rising, the AAP convenor added.

The alleged land grabbing and sexual harassment case in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal has triggered a major political battle among the ruling Trinamool Congress party and the opposition. BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is hiding something in the matter and is protecting Shahjahan Sheikh and his allies.  

The BJP leader said that Mamata Banerjee is risking the honour of women in Bengal in order to save her political reputation. Questioning why parties like CPI(M) and Congress are  silent on the issue, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that he heard that a woman leader of CPM visited the area but has not opposed the incident or made a public comment. He remarked that Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is also silent on the issue. 

Since last week, several women in the district have been protesting against TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh who is allegedly the mastermind behind the incident. Though the West Bengal police have arrested two TMC leaders, Shahjahan Sheikh is still absconding. The BJP leaders in the state claimed that the police administration has become the party office of the ruling party. 

Meanwhile, State BJP president Sukanta Mazumdar on Monday, said that the party would hold a 72-hour long protest in the coming days demanding the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan amid the turmoil in West Bengal over the Sandeshkhali violence. He added that the probable day of protest is February 22. 

Slamming Mamata Banerjee for accusing BJP of instigating violence in the state, the BJP president said that the Chief Minister should be a little more sensitive towards the women in the state and refrain from making such statements. He added that the Trinamool Congress party was in a complete denial mode of any violence in the state initially. 

Reportedly, West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali area has been witnessing massive unrest for more than 10 days as women protestors are seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by TMC leader Sheikh Shajahan and his aides.