Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on Saturday said it is high time the taboo associated with approaching courts to enforce and affirm people’s rights are done away with.
Speaking at the inauguration of the B & C Wings of the High Court Annexe building of the Bombay High Court Bench at Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Justice Ramana said people have this general and common notion that only criminals or victims of crime approach the court. “People take pride in stating that we have never seen a court building in our lifetime. But, it is high time that we make efforts to remove the taboo associated with approaching courts for the affirmation of their rights,” he said.
He advised the people not to hesitate in approaching the courts. “The common man deals with multiple legal issues during his lifetime. One must never feel hesitant to approach Courts. After all, people’s faith in the judiciary is the biggest strength of democracy,” CJI Ramana said.
“Courts are extremely essential for any society that is governed by the rule of law. Court buildings are not merely structures made of mortar and bricks. Rather, they actively assure the constitutional guarantee of Right to Justice. The courts in India have repeatedly upheld the rights and freedoms of individuals. They stood up whenever the individuals or society are at the receiving end of the executive excesses. It is an assurance that the seeker of justice, howsoever weak, need not worry about the might of the State,” he said.
Raising the need to improve judicial infrastructure, the CJI, who has pitched for a national judicial infrastrucure body, asked Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju to take it up in the Winter Session of Parliament.
“I have sent a proposal for the establishment of the National Judicial Infrastructure Authority to the Ministry of Law and Justice, and I am hoping for a positive response soon. I urge the Minister of Law and Justice to expedite the process and ensure that the proposal to create National Judicial Infrastructure Authority of India with statutory backing is taken up in the upcoming Winter Session of the Parliament,” he said.
Referring to Aurangabad’s history in relation to liberties and emancipation, Justice Ramana said, “Many ideas of social revolution which have resulted in the freedom and liberties that we all take for granted today, have been borne out of this fertile and progressive land. Be it the extraordinary Savitribai Phule or the pioneering feminist Jyotirao Phule, or the legendary Dr Ambedkar – they always aspired for an egalitarian society where every individual’s right to dignity is honoured. Together, they have set in motion irreversible social changes which has finally evolved into our Constitution – which will continue to define how an ideal society should be.”
Thanking Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, CJI Ramana said, “Again, let me take this opportunity to congratulate the Government of Maharashtra and the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for his efforts and cooperation. He has promised to me on the dais that he will extend all help for construction of new court complex for Bombay High Court.” The CJI had earlier congratulated the Maharashtra CM and Justice B.R. Gavai for addressing the gathering in Marathi.
Justice Ramana praised Union Minister Rijiju for his enthusiasm and commitment to the cause of justice and thanked Justice Dipankar Dutta, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, for his instrumental role in seeing the Aurangabad project through.
The CJI then thanked his brother judges Justice U.U. Lalit, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice Gavai and Justice A.S. Oak, who were also attending the event in person.
Read CJI Ramana’s full speech below:
Aurangabad-Speech-23102021-Release