The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) commemorated the legacy of Late Ashok Kumar Sen, an esteemed Senior Advocate and former Union Law Minister, by unveiling his portrait at Library No. 1 in the Supreme Court. The ceremony, held on Wednesday, was graced by the presence of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant as the Chief Guest, with Senior Advocate Harish Salve delivering the keynote address.
SCBA President Vikas Singh highlighted that the initiative to unveil the portrait was spurred by an email from Aditya Sen, a family member of AK Sen, noting the absence of his portrait in the court, despite a chamber block already named after him. Singh mentioned that the CJI readily agreed to participate and proposed inviting Salve to speak, given his previous keynote address on Sen.
During his speech, Senior Advocate Harish Salve reminisced about his interactions with Sen, including travel experiences and briefing sessions, emphasizing Sen’s exceptional ability to swiftly articulate legal propositions. Salve recounted Sen’s academic and professional journey, from Presidency College to the London School of Economics and Gray’s Inn, and his prominence at the Calcutta High Court. He also acknowledged Sen’s contributions as the editor of the Calcutta Law Journal and his multiple tenures as SCBA President.
Salve took this opportunity to reflect on the challenges posed by the excessive influx of information via social media and stressed the indispensability of upholding the rule of law. He articulated, “Our nation is at an inflection point. The changes in our polity, a rapidly changing demography, the growing demand upon limited resources caused by rising aspirations, and the overdose of information on social media are all placing enormous pressure on our society. At a time like this, we must ensure that the rule of law is in no way diminished.”
Salve also commented on India’s evolving global stature: “One thing I can say, as someone who now spends more time outside India than within it, is that India today is viewed across the world with a great sense of respect. The Western world is in turmoil, as we witness every day. Europe feels orphaned. The United States is making people wonder whether it ever truly had a Constitution and, if so, what it meant. Yet, they find common cause when it comes to resisting India’s rise.”
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Moreover, Salve emphasized the importance of holding government accountable without disparaging the nation, stating, “It is necessary to keep governments accountable. But we must always be careful. Whatever we say, whatever we do, particularly in this age of social media, we must never denigrate India as a nation.”
In his address, CJI Surya Kant paid tribute to Sen, describing him as “a scholar of rare distinction, an advocate of exemplary erudition and a statesman of unwavering commitment.” He shared an anecdote illustrating Sen’s profound legal expertise, wherein Sen confidently replied to a query about a statutory provision, “Because, My Lords, I drafted it.” CJI Kant also referenced Justice Dipankar Datta’s comparison, “You had Palkhivala in Bombay and Mr. Sen in Kolkata,” noting that the portrait would serve as a “silent senior” guiding future generations of lawyers.
