{
  "id": 2748479,
  "title": "Who is Justice Sanjay Karol? Retired Supreme Court judge who said ‘Judges not gods...’ in his viral farewell speech",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/who-is-justice-sanjay-karol-retired-supreme-court-judge-who-said",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-23T08:05:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Live Mint",
    "slug": "live-mint",
    "url": "https://www.livemint.com/news/india/who-is-justice-sanjay-karol-retired-supreme-court-judge-who-said-judges-not-gods-in-his-viral-farewell-speech-11787471463317.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Justice Sanjay Karol, a retired Supreme Court judge, delivered a farewell speech on August 22, 2023, where he emphasized the importance of humility and seeing the person behind every litigant. According to the PTI, Karol stated that judges are not gods and will not always get judgments right. He explained that judging requires a certain level of humility and the ability to understand the real person behind a petition, as a petition only reveals the facts of a case, not the person's losses or hopes.\n\nThroughout his career, Karol practiced across various courts and served as advocate general of Himachal Pradesh from 1998 to 2003. He was appointed as a judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in 2007 and subsequently became chief justice of the Tripura High Court in 2018. In 2023, he was elevated to the Supreme Court.\n\nIn his farewell address, Karol reflected on his four-decade-long journey in the legal profession. He emphasized the courtroom's role as a vehicle for something greater than himself and highlighted the importance of listening beyond spoken arguments, including understanding the silent prayers in the courtroom. Karol also discussed the symbolism of the Supreme Court's bench, which appears to be six feet above the ground, signifying responsibility, dignity, and honesty.\n\nHe concluded by returning to the role of an ordinary citizen, stating that the greatness of the Constitution is tested not only in great cases but also in ordinary conduct.",
  "summary": "Supreme Court judge Justice Sanjay Karol, who retired on Saturday (August 22, said in his farewell speech that judges are not gods and they will not get every judgement right.",
  "key_points": [
    "Justice Sanjay Karol delivered farewell speech on August 22, 2023",
    "Emphasized humility, seeing person behind litigants",
    "Concluded by linking judiciary to ordinary citizen conduct"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}