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| Tuesday, 02 November 2004 |
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Justice Wigneswaran - a multi-faceted personality by Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar
Justice C. V. Wigneswaran who retired recently as Supreme Court Judge is in every sense of the term a Himalayan personality, lofty, serene and unshakable. As a Supreme Court judge he discharged his responsibilities with unsurpassed distinction and unsullied honour and preserved the dignity of courts and the image of justice. It is very often said that great men whether great social reformers, great thinkers, eminent judges and men of letters differ from common man only in one thing. They give life a meaning, a purpose and dedicate themselves to that purpose. They testify to the truth and refuse to compromise whatever the cost. The secret of his success as a good judge is that he is deeply religious and the loftiness of his character and versatility of his intellect were remarkable. Besides, he has an iron will and his life is an open book. He practised what he preached and discharged his duties without fear, favour, ill will or bias. While on the bench, Justice Wigneswaran lived up to the essence of the art of judging, namely, an attentive and receptive ear, a mind open to conviction, a readiness to acknowledge error and a will resolved to do justice regardless of personal motives or prejudices. He also possessed in full measure the learning ability, the quickness of thought and the capacity for hard work which enabled him to attain eminence as a lawyer and as a judge. He joined the Judicial Service on May 7, 1979 and served as Magistrate and District Judge of Batticaloa, Chavakachcheri, Mallakam before he was appointed as District Judge of Colombo in January 1987. He is a man of outstanding personality with profound knowledge and understanding of the people's problems. He genuinely believed that the seat of justice is the place for the performance of a divine function. He always believed that judiciary is not an arm of the executive and is not obliged to uphold its actions at the expense of the subject. It has to hold the balance between the executor and the citizens and not executive-minded. He always maintained that the very survival of the Rule of Law depended upon the effective functioning of the judiciary and believed that a judge has not only to do justice between man and man, but he also has to do justice between the citizen and the State and the service rendered by a judge demands the highest quality if learning, training and character. According to Justice Wigneswaran, a respected and independent judiciary and vigilant and strong Bar are indispensable to the administration of justice and for vindication of law. His polished manner, sartorial elegance, intelligent refinement and boldness of thought will assure him of a permanent place in the legal thought and literature of this country. As a Supreme Court judge he maintained tremendous courage and a high degree of judicial statesmanship. He steered the court with great dexterity through perils and floods and have left with its stature no less high as when he was summoned to this high office. Justice Wigneswaran is outspoken and always believed that judiciary should be allowed untrammelled and majestic independence and absolute and impeccable impartiality. He is a born democrat and a great patriot who always believed that cordiality and harmony should be maintained at any cost among communities. When he addressed the gathering at the ceremonial opening of the Supreme Court in 2001 he made a clarion call for justice and fairness for the Tamil community that will enable all communities to live together in cordiality. He further said that must we recognise that the Tamil language and culture are to the Tamils as the Sinhala language and culture are to the Sinhalese and therefore make Tamil the dominant language of the Northern and Eastern Provinces, requiring the study of it compulsory for all in those provinces just as Sinhalese is recognised as the dominant language of other seven provinces with English as the link language. Furthermore, Justice Wigneswaran's interests are varied and his talents are versatile. He can hold a conversation on any subjects whether it is Ramayana, Mahabharatha, Comparative Religion, music, dance or even philosophy. His breath of vision and capacity of mind are unique and his learned and competent speeches particularly on the Vedanta Philosophy, religions and literature were appreciated by all. Justice Wigneswaran is a statuesque figure in intellect as in stature. He is quick of perception, sharp in debate combined with retentive memory with thorough understanding. His presentation of speeches is always remarkably alive for lucidity and eloquence while his balanced mind and self-confident temperament give him an advantage rarely possessed by any public speakers. Undoubtedly, Justice Wigneswaran is a multi-faceted personality with clear vision, practical mind and outspoken and independent thinking. |
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