The Delhi High Court Friday bid farewell to Justice Ravindra Bhat after his elevation as the chief justice of the Rajasthan High Court.

 Justice Bhat, who will be sworn in on May 5 at a formal function at Raj Bhavan in Jaipur, was appointed as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court on July 16, 2004. He became a permanent judge on February 20, 2006.

Speaking at the farewell programme, Justice Bhat said judges should remain humble and also realise that courts are an institution of last resort.

Therefore, try to be patient and see if something can be done, he said. Praising Chief Justice Rajendra Menon, Justice Bhat said he is the leader the court needed.

Besides Justice Menon and other sitting judges of the high court, Justice Bhat’s family members, friends, a large number of advocates and court staff were present at the farewell programme.

The Supreme Court Collegium had on April 8 recommended the appointment of Justice Bhat, 60, after noting the office of the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court has fallen vacant after the recent transfer of Justice Pradeep Nandrajog to the Bombay High Court.

President Ram Nath Kovind on April 30 had appointed Justice Bhat as the 36th Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court.

Born on October 21, 1958, Justice Bhat graduated in law from Campus Law Centre, Delhi University, in 1982 and began practicing.

He practised before the Supreme Court, the Delhi High Court and various other judicial fora and had an exposure in different branches of law like public law, banking, education, labour and service and indirect taxation.