Justice Suresh Kumar Kait, Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, bid farewell on May 20 with a powerful and heartfelt speech. His life story stands as a symbol of determination, dignity, and justice—deeply rooted in the values envisioned by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
“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,” he said during his farewell ceremony.
Justice Kait opened his address by expressing sincere gratitude to his colleagues, family, and well-wishers. Recalling his modest beginnings, he spoke about studying in a school with limited resources, where students often had to sit under trees until Class 10.
“The school I studied in had fewer classrooms… we used to mostly sit beneath trees and study till 10th standard. From studying in that school to Delhi University has been a very proud moment for me and my family.”
His parents were agricultural labourers, and he too worked as a labourer until matriculation. He credited the Constitution of India—drafted by Dr. Ambedkar—for making his journey possible.
“When I became a judge of the Delhi High Court in 2008, I sat on a bench with Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed, son of former President of India Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. This was possible because of Dr. Ambedkar’s Constitution.”
Justice Kait also addressed the serious concern of case pendency in the High Court. With a current sanctioned strength of 53 judges but only 33 serving, he highlighted the urgent need for more judicial appointments.
“This High Court has nearly 4,80,000 pending cases. I have proposed increasing the sanctioned strength to 85 judges. This proposal is with the State Government, and they have assured that it will be fulfilled soon.”
He further shared his vision and efforts to improve court infrastructure, including the development of district court complexes, residential quarters for judicial officers, and child-friendly courtrooms.
“Touching not only the District Court complex but also developing residential complexes for judicial officers, child-friendly courtrooms, among others. I hope litigants will benefit from such enhancements.”
Justice Kait’s farewell event was attended by several prominent legal personalities including judges, the Advocate General Prashant Singh, Deputy Solicitor General Pushpendra Yadav, and leaders from various bar associations.
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Born in Haryana, Justice Kait had an illustrious legal and judicial career. After graduating in Humanities from University College Kurukshetra, he earned his Law degree from Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi. He enrolled as an advocate in 1989 and served as panel lawyer and senior counsel for major institutions including the Union of India, UPSC, and Indian Railways.
He was appointed as Standing Counsel for the Central Government in 2004, before being elevated to Additional Judge of Delhi High Court in 2008. He became a permanent judge in 2013 and later served in the High Court of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, before returning to Delhi in 2018. His appointment as Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court came on September 25, 2024.
