Judges are not gods, won't get every judgment right: Outgoing SC Judge Sanjay Karol
Outgoing Supreme Court Justice Sanjay Karol emphasized the need for humility in the judiciary during his farewell address. He noted that judges are not infallible and must prioritize seeing the human element behind every legal petition.
Why it matters
The remarks highlight the philosophical challenges of judicial decision-making and the importance of empathy in the legal system.
Judges are not gods and they will not get every judgement right, retiring Supreme Court judge Justice Sanjay Karol said in his farewell address on Saturday (August, 22, 2026)
He also said that judging requires a certain degree of humility and the ability to see the real person behind every litigant.
The Supreme Court on Saturday (August, 22, 2026) bid an emotional farewell to Justice Karol, with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Bar leaders, including Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Pradeep Rai, paying glowing tributes to the outgoing judge on his last working day.
"The Constitution does not ask us merely to apply the law correctly. It asks us to apply it justly. That is perhaps why the responsibility of judging has always seemed larger to me than simply deciding who is legally correct.”
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