3 High Court Judges, 34 Judicial Officers Have Lost Lives Battling COVID : CJI Ramana

Remembering the members of judicial fraternity who have succumbed to COVID-19, the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Thursday said that 34 judicial officers and 3 High Court judges have lost their lives battling the pandemic.

As per the data available, 2768 judicial officers and 106 Judges of the High Court have tested positive so far.  The CJI added that data from two major High Courts are yet to be received.

CJI Ramana also said that approximately 800 Registry staff have tested positive. Six Registrars and 10 Additional Registrars of the Supreme Court have tested positive at different times.  Unfortunately, the CJI said, three SC officials were lost to COVID.

"My heart goes out to the families and the loved ones of those whose life has been cut short by this pandemic", CJI said.

The Chief Justice made these remarks during a virtual function organized to launch a mobile facility for journalists to attend virtual hearings.

"Everyone has been deeply affected by this pandemic, including my brother and sister Judges in the Supreme Court. The Secretary General, the Registrars, most of the staff of the Supreme Court and their families have suffered. Apart from the physical impact of this pandemic, the psychological and mental strain has been terrible. Despite this demoralizing and fear inducing environment, everyone is rendering service to their best capacity, to ensure that justice continues to be rendered", CJI Ramana said.

Justice Vandana Kasarekar of Madhya Pradesh High Court, Justice Ghanshyam Raghumal Udhwani of Gujarat High Court and Justice Vinod Kumar Srivastava of Allahabad High Court are the High Court judges who succumbed to COVID. Justice Kasarekar and Justice Udhwani passed away in December 2020. Justice Srivastava's death happened on April 28, 2021.

Last month, two judicial officers of Delhi - Metropolitan Magistrate Kamran Khan of the Dwarka District Court and Family Court judge Kovai Venugopal had died due to COVID.