Interview of Adv. Vijay Dutt Sharma, High court, M.P.

INTERVIEW- VIJAY DUTT SHARMA ADVOCATE

Advocate Vijay Dutt Sharma hails from a family which advocated the principles of moral values and ethics. Advocate Sharma completed his Bachelor of Laws from M.J.S. College, Bhind and started his professional career as an Advocate at the High Court of Madhya Pradesh, Bench at Gwalior in 1990. He is a person of eminence and a renowned Criminal Lawyer, specialised in the field of matters relating to Section-482, CrPC 1973. Even after his association with the Bar for almost 30 years, he likes to introduce himself to his readers as a persistent learner and student of law, who learns a new thing every day, which is the secret of the zeal & passion he endows for the legal profession.

The interview with Advocate Sharma has bought out the realities of the Legal Profession and why the young &enthusiastic brats are required in this profession for the betterment of the Family and Society, as a whole.

Q.1) Please tell us about your journey from being a junior advocate to the stage when you are regarded as the top-shot Criminal Lawyer of High Court of Madhya Pradesh, Bench at Gwalior?

CHALLENGING! My journey in the field of litigation started with my association with the legend and Former Advocate General of Madhya Pradesh Shri. R.D. Jain Saab, who dealt mainly the civil matters and all the Criminal cases booked by Shri. Jain were forwarded to us for the preparations and with the advent of the same, I ended in taking up the practise of Criminal Law, as I was mostly exposed to it, thereafter joining the office of Shri. T.C. Bansal Sir.

So, this was the challenge, because I started in the office which majorly took up the civil cases but reached to take up the Criminal matters when I started my independent practice.

Q.2) Why the profession of law excites you?

This is the only profession which provides you lifetime exposure and satisfaction and even after completing almost 3 decades of my professional life, I ought to learn new 10 things each day and also helps me to interact with the persona of wide-intelligence and special knowledge(Judges) which is hard to find in any other profession and that is the reason why Advocacy is known as the Noble Profession.

Q.3) The underlying principles and values that you preach & apply for excelling in professional life?

Professional Ethics, respect for the staff and clear dealing with the clients are the ideals that I preach and tries to uphold at all the spheres of my professional life.

Moreover, I advocate the principle of and moto for my working is:

“LEARN, LEARN & LEARN” for excelling in the Art of Advocacy!

Q.4) Litigation is a full-time profession, so how you balance both your personal and professional life?

I would like to portray this situation with an illustration, ‘Professional life is what I have chosen for myself and when my children are waiting at home for me thinking that when I will come, I will play with them horse-horse, it is there right to ask and therefore, I am no one to question & negate their right. So, I believe that usage of mind should be used in the professional arena and heart is the one which should be given top-most priority while interacting at home.’

Therefore, completing all my work of the court in court and giving full attention to my loved ones at home is what is my magical mantra for balancing the professional and personal life.

Q.5) What are the challenges and changes which you see and wish to be bought in the Indian Legal System?

The basic challenge is the adherence to the Professional Ethics, values, respect towards the Bar and the Bench which is noticed to have been faded away. But seeing the young & budding lawyers, I feel this challenge seems to be solved in the coming times.

And suggesting some changes, I feel NO CHANGES are required in the justice delivery system, as everything is proper in their frame and as soon as prosecution & defence counsel fully understand their role to assist the court, everything will work smoothly & efficiently.

Q.6) What are the hardships which a defence counsel face while presenting the case before the Hon’ble Court?

The basic hardship is that, when defence counsel presents the case, the Court is sitting negative, State or prosecution is negative and therefore, the duty cast upon the counsel enhances many times to turn the case in his favour and a full-fledged preparation is required to create doubt & to provide such a version of the instances, completing the chain of evidence, showing that the client so defended was not involved in such act, which amounted to crime/offence.

But in spite of the same, defence counsel has to answer the query of the judge, reply to the prosecution’s contentions while upholding the primary responsibility of providing the best assistance to the Court and to settle the legal position, so warranted and persisting.

Q.7) What will be your guidance to our young and blooming lawyers, please shower your wisdom on them with your sparkling words.

Only three things are to be always kept in mind,

“HARD WORK, VALUES, and PASSION FOR WORK & NOTHING ELSE”

And if anyone inculcates these basic foundations in their habit, there is no one to stop success for you. So, be unique and not number 1, because if you are number 1, there are others with whom you may compete but if you are unique, you are the only one!!!!

Interviewer

Harshit Sharma, 4^th Year, B.A., LL.B.(Hons.), Amity Law School, Amity University Madhya Pradesh.