'From Labourer To Chief Justice, Treated People As Dr Ambedkar Envisioned': Justice Suresh Kumar Kait Bids Farewell To MP High Court
"From working as a labourer and to reach the post of Chief Justice of this Court, I have strived to remain grounded and treat everyone with respect and equality regardless of caste, religion or background just as Dr. Ambedkar envisioned,” said Madhya Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait on Tuesday (May 20) at his farewell ceremony. While addressing the issue of pendency of...
"From working as a labourer and to reach the post of Chief Justice of this Court, I have strived to remain grounded and treat everyone with respect and equality regardless of caste, religion or background just as Dr. Ambedkar envisioned,” said Madhya Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait on Tuesday (May 20) at his farewell ceremony.
While addressing the issue of pendency of cases in High Court, he said, “As you know this High Court has a lot of pending cases. Judges are only 53. Cases are 4,80,000 around. Sanctioned strength though 53 but as on date we are only 33. Therefore, as a Chief Justice, I have sent proposal of 32 judges, so that from 53 the sanctioned strength is increased to 85. That is pending with the State Government who assured that certainly it will come true in the near future.”
At the outset Justice Kait expressed gratitude to his colleagues and family members. Recalling his early life, he said, “The school I studied in, had less classrooms...we used to mostly sit beneath trees and study, till 10th standard. From studying in that school till Delhi University where I studied, has been a very proud moment for me and my family."
"My parents were agricultural labourers. I myself worked as a labourer till I reached matriculation," he said adding that when he first became a judge of the Delhi High Court in 2008, he sat on bench with Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed–who is the son of former President of India Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed–which he said was made possible due to the Constitution of India, "written by Dr Ambedkar".
On making significant strides in court infrastructure developments, Justice Kait said, "Touching not only the District Court complex but also developing residential complexes for judicial officers, child friendly courtrooms amongst others. I hope litigants will benefit from such enhancements," he said.
The event was attended by Judges of the High Court and members of the bar including Advocate General Prashant Singh, Deputy Solicitor General Pushpendra Yadav, Chairman of Bar Council of Madhya Pradesh, Presidents of High Court Bar Association of Jabalpur, Indore and Gwalior and Sanjay Agarwal, President of High Court Advocates' Bar Association also addressed the gathering.
Justice Kait who hails from Haryana had a long and illustrious career in the legal and judicial services. He graduated in Humanities from University College Kurukshetra. Justice Kait obtained his Bachelor's Degree in Law from Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi and enrolled as an Advocate in 1989. He also served as a Panel Lawyer/Senior Counsel for Union of India, U.P.S.C. and Railways.
He was appointed as the Standing Counsel for Central Government in the year 2004 and continued to hold the position till his elevation as Additional Judge of Delhi High Court in September, 2008.
He became a permanent judge of Delhi High Court in April, 2013, and was transferred to the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad for the State of Telangana and the State of Andhra Pradesh after three years, in April, 2016. Thereafter, he was transferred back to Delhi on October 12, 2018.
He was appointed as the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court on September 25, 2024.