SC judge hails PM Modi as 'popular, vibrant and visionary leader'

Supreme Court justice M R Shah on Saturday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "our most popular, loved, vibrant and visionary leader".

The praise for the prime minister by Justice Shah came during a function to celebrate diamond jubilee of the Gujarat high court.

"I am proud and privileged to participate in the function to celebrate diamond jubilee of Gujarat high court and that too in the presence of our most popular, loved, vibrant and visionary leader, prime minister Narendra Modi," Shah said in his address.

"One of the essential features of the democratic republic established under the Indian Constitution is division of powers between Parliament, executive, and the judiciary," the judge went on to say.

He felt proud that the Gujarat high court has never crossedthe "Lakshman Rekha" (boundaries of power/code of conduct) and always delivered justice, he said.

Last year, Justice Arun Mishra's fulsome praise for prime minister Modi at an event had raised eyebrows.

Justice Mishra, now a retired SC judge, had described Modi as "internationally acclaimed visionary".

In his address on Saturday, Justice Shah also said the Gujarat high court was his "karmbhoomi" where he practiced as a lawyer for 22 years and served as a judge for 14 years.

Prime minister Modi released a commemorative stamp at the function.

Modi also hailed the country's judiciary, saying it has performed its duty well in safeguarding people's rights, upholding personal liberty, and also in the situations when national interests need to be prioritised.