New Delhi, Oct 1: Outgoing Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on Monday delivered his farewell speech wherein he said he doesn't judge people by history, but their actions. Dipak Misra, who is retiring today his after 13-month tenure as Chief Justice of India, said judges need to keep the nation together amid extreme political churning, adding that Supreme Court stand supreme.

"I do not judge people by history; I judge people by their activities and their perspectives," Justice Misra said. "We live in a time of extreme political churning across the nation. We are divided on lines of caste, creed etc. What we wear and eat are no longer small issues and we are despised because of these habits and the difference," he added.

Justice Misra said he is retiring with satisfaction, adding that independence of judiciary is erect in the hands of Justice Ranjan Gogoi, who will take over as the next Chief Justice of India. "Supreme Court stands as supreme and it will remain so in future," he said. Prior to Justice Misra's speech, CJI-designate Ranjan Gogoi said the outgoing Chief Justice delivered verdicts that upheld the freedom of individuals.

"He has upheld freedom of individual to choose and express choice. Cases like Shakti Vahini, Shafin Jahan and Navtej Johar involved individual's liberty to choose his choice in form of partner whom society doesn't apporve," Justice Gogoi said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 01, 2018 05:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).