Judge Akshay Dwivedi of Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh rejected government facilities, lives in a single room, goes to court on foot and has become an example of judicial service by leading a simple life.
Khandwa Judge Akshay Dwivedi: In today’s era, where people start running after pomp, servants and luxuries as soon as they get even a small government job, there is a judge in the judiciary of the country who has shaken this entire thinking. This story that came out from Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh may seem like a film script, but it is completely true. Additional Sessions Judge (Additional District Judge) Akshay Kumar Dwivedi not only flatly refused to take the luxurious government bungalow and car, but also made a request to the High Court which created a stir in the legal circles.
“Also reduce the salary to half…”: That shocking application sent to the High Court
The simplicity of Judge Akshay Kumar Dwivedi is such that he has submitted an application to the Madhya Pradesh High Court requesting that his monthly salary be reduced to less than half. When the department asked him where he wanted his posting regarding his next transfer, his answer was very shocking. He said, “Send me to any corner of the country, I will get little to no government facilities there too.” Judge Dwivedi is originally from Rewa. After being transferred from Panna district, he was posted in Khandwa on 26 September 2014. Whoever saw his working style during the last two years of his tenure became his admirer.
One room shelter, cook food yourself: only one ‘mobile’ in the name of property
Leaving aside the luxurious bungalow that a judge gets, Judge Akshay Kumar Dwivedi is living his life in just a small room. They have government servants as per the rules, but they prefer to cook their food with their own hands. In this era of VIP cars and red lights, he sets out for court on foot every day. The most surprising thing is that in today’s time, where people are busy accumulating property worth crores, Judge Akshay has only one mobile phone in the name of personal property. This phone was also gifted to him by his mother. He has no telephone connection and talks to his mother three times a day through this single mobile. He has decided not to marry throughout his life.
Tears of mother upset with ‘date after date’: This is how she insisted on becoming a judge
The story behind Judge Akshay Kumar Dwivedi becoming a judge is very emotional and inspiring. While sharing an incident from his student life, he said that in his childhood, he used to go to court with his mother over a dispute regarding ancestral property. His mother was devastated and upset due to the ‘date after date’ in the court and the lax policy of the system. Words of Judge Akshay Dwivedi: “Seeing the helplessness and trouble of my mother, I was determined at that very moment that I would become a lawyer. When I completed my law studies and came to the court, I saw how much mental pain and financial loss the common people have to suffer due to the delay in decisions. That very day, I decided that now I have to become a judge and provide justice to the people as soon as possible.”
Justice in a few days: Historic decisions are made in land and property matters
To fulfill this oath, Judge Akshay disposes of the cases coming in his court, especially land and property disputes, very quickly. Two years ago, a very famous case of ‘Iqbal Bhure Khan’ came up in his court, in which some fraudsters had sold Iqbal’s land with the help of fake documents. Usually such civil cases drag on for years, but Judge Akshay conducted a marathon hearing in just a few days and gave his verdict and provided immediate relief to the victim’s family. Kicking off all the luxuries and VIP culture, this judge, who lives in a room, has proved that to sit on the chair of justice, one does not need big vehicles but a big and honest heart.