Watch Live: A discussion on “Democracy and Dissent”

Supreme Court judge Deepak Gupta inaugurated a conference on “Democracy and Dissent” at Indian Society of International Law, New Delhi.

The panel consists of  Ashok Arora, Kailash Vasdev, Dushyant Dave, KK Venugopal, Chandra Uday Singh and Ms Anjali Chauhan.

Ashok Arora said, “Dissent is important even in our families. It should be said in a decent way. You have to think dissent should be to achieve the mission of preamble. Not for the heck of it.”

Justice Deepak Gupta said that dissenting decision making in the judiciary is necessary. “We need a fearless judiciary,” he said.

“It’s our human right to disagree. Those of us who are married are familiar with dissent. Mostly we are on the losing side, but decision has to be informed for good of all. Decisions of my children have proven to be right,” Justice Gupta joked.

But he added that dissent is shown to be “anti-national”. “Just because you hold a contrary view doesn’t mean you disrespect your country. Members of the Bar in various parts of country passed resolutions that their members won’t appear in certain cases. Advocates cannot refuse to give legal aid. Members of the bar were in the forefront in every movement. This is obstruction of justice,” he said.

Conference on “Democracy and Dissent” at Indian Society of International Law, New Delhi
Panelists- Mr. Ashok Arora
Mr. Kailash Vasdev, Mr. Dushyant Dave, Js. Deepak Gupta, Mr. KK Venugopal, Mr. Chandra Uday Singh, Ms. Anjali Chauhan#Conference begins. pic.twitter.com/ORzFT1AS9C

— India Legal (@indialegalmedia) February 24, 2020