MUMBAI, June 30 -- The Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa on Sunday held a farewell felicitation ceremony in honour of Justice Abhay Oka, who retired from the Supreme Court in May this year. The event, organised in Pune, also saw the launch of a commemorative book by the Pune Bar Association documenting 50 landmark judgments authored by Justice Oka during his judicial career. Justice Oka, 65, demitted office after delivering 11 judgments on his final day in court. Speaking at the event, he expressed regret over cases he could not conclude before retirement. Clarifying his future plans, justice Oka said he would not appear before any court or tribunal nor engage in arbitration, but would offer legal opinions on various matters. Highlighting the urgent need to address judicial delays, Justice Oka urged young lawyers to seriously consider a career in the judiciary. "Judges should take up more matters to battle pendency. Another bench of the high court is not going to reduce pendency," he said. One of justice Oka's most significant rulings from the Supreme Court was on the powers of state governments to regulate industrial alcohol. Interpreting industrial alcohol as falling under the term "intoxicating liquor" in the Constitution, Justice Oka upheld the legislative competence of states in this area-marking a crucial moment in India's federal regulatory framework. Born on May 25, 1960, justice Oka began his legal career at the Thane District Court, training under his father. He was appointed as an additional judge of the Bombay High Court on August 29, 2003, and became a permanent judge in November 2005. In May 2019, he was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court and was elevated to the Supreme Court in August 2021. Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, who served on the Supreme Court bench alongside justice Oka, spoke on the importance of an independent judiciary. Quoting Caroline Kennedy, he said, "The bedrock of our democracy is the rule of law, and that means we need to have an independent judiciary, with judges who can make decisions free of political pressure or expectation." Several judges of the HC, who had served with Justice Oka, recalled his legacy. Justice Makrand Karnik described him as a demanding yet fair senior who instilled discipline, punctuality, and a strong work ethic in his colleagues. Justice Revati Mohite-Dere credited Justice Oka with championing gender parity in the judiciary, recalling how he encouraged the elevation of women judges such as herself, justice Sadhna Jadhav, Justice Urmila Phansalkar, and justice Gauri Godse. Justice Mahesh Sonak praised justice Oka for his openness to divergent views....