SC bids farewell to Justice Bela M. Trivedi: A Trailblazer who let her judgments speak
New Delhi, May 16 (UNI) The Supreme Court of India today witnessed an emotional and dignified farewell for Justice Bela Madhurya Trivedi, who demitted office after a remarkable four-year tenure on the nation's highest constitutional bench.
Justice Trivedi, the first woman judge from the Gujarat High Court to be elevated to the Supreme Court, officially concluded her service on May 16, 2025, ahead of her scheduled retirement due to administrative reasons.
The ceremonial bench presided over by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, alongside Justice Bela Trivedi and Justice A.G. Masih marked the occasion with warmth, humour, and high praise from the Bar and Bench.
Justice Trivedi, a record-holder in the Limca Book of Records for serving alongside her father as a judge in the same court, leaves behind a legacy defined by discipline, fearlessness, and judicial integrity.
Tributes that echoed across the courtroom started with Attorney General for India R. Venkataramani. He lauded Justice Trivedi's judicial tenacity, 'You have always upheld institutional integrity... Like all women judges, you possess a tough mind with gentleness. More women judges will make this court very different.'
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta echoed similar sentiments and said, 'Your Ladyship has never moulded relief to suit popular sentiment. It takes courage to displease and even when we lost matters, our respect remained.'
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, in a heartfelt recollection, said, 'You are a star in this court's constellation. I remember a moment when I asked for empathy, and you said 'You don't know me then.' That clarity, that strength, defines you.'
Senior women advocates Rachana Srivastava, Pinky Anand, Meenakshi Arora, and Vibha Datta Makhija collectively noted Justice Trivedi's ability to inspire women across the legal fraternity not for seeking advantage, but for asserting equal footing.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati emotionally recalled how Justice Trivedi had called her during a moment of personal grief and urged her to rise and resume work.
Advocate Zoheb Hossain remarked with admiration, 'Your Ladyship reads every page cover to cover. Appearing before you meant being thoroughly prepared.'
Born in 1960 in Patan, Gujarat, Justice Trivedi began her legal career after completing her B.Com and LL.B. from M.S. University, Vadodara. Following a decade of civil and constitutional law practice in the Gujarat High Court, she was appointed as a City Civil and Sessions Judge in 1995.
Her service as Law Secretary to the Government of Gujarat (2004–2006) added a rare executive dimension to her career.
She was elevated to the Gujarat High Court in 2011, transferred to the Rajasthan High Court, and later returned to Gujarat before being appointed to the Supreme Court in 2021 becoming the 10th woman judge of the apex court.
Justice Trivedi also etched her name in judicial history as part of the father-daughter duo serving concurrently as judges in the same court, an entry recognised by the Limca Book of Records.
Justice Trivedi's tenure on the Supreme Court Bench was marked by firm yet fair decisions.
In N. Eswaranathan v. State, she delivered a stern ruling against procedural abuse, directing suspension and penalty for erring advocates.
In Supreme Court Bar Assn. v. State of U.P., Justice Trivedi and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma clarified the scope of Advocates-on-Record appearances, upholding the sanctity of Supreme Court procedural rules and rejecting any deviation from established norms.
CJI Gavai commended Justice Trivedi's tireless dedication even during personal challenges.
'She would travel to Ahmedabad over weekends to care for her ailing father and still return for Monday hearings. Her journey from district judiciary to apex court shows her legal and administrative acumen.'
Justice A.G. Masih called for the continuation of traditions, indirectly referring to a yet-to-be-notified SCBA farewell.
'Good traditions must always continue,' he said.
Justice Trivedi, in her parting words, reaffirmed her belief in institutional discipline:
'I have always spoken through my judgments. The polyvocality of this institution reflects democratic plurality. I worked guided by inner conscience with the institution as the paramount consideration.'
Quoting the Court's motto 'Yato Dharmastato Jayah' (Where there is Dharma, there is victory), Justice Trivedi added, 'This inscription must resonate in the reality of our Court's workings.'
Her early retirement reduces the number of women judges on the Supreme Court bench to just one, raising renewed calls for greater gender diversity on the judiciary's highest platform.
As she exits the courtroom for the final time, her trailblazing legacy remains etched in every page of her judgments, in every lawyer she inspired, and in every institution she fortified with integrity.
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