Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Monday paid homage to the father of Indian Constitution, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar at Brandeis University in the United States.
Delivering the keynote address at the Sixth International Conference on the Unfinished Legacy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar organised by the Brandeis University, the CJI said Dr Ambedkar’s constitutionalism aimed at creating a robust framework of checks and balances, where the constitution would serve as a bulwark against potential abuses of power, ensuring the protection of the rights of all citizens.
Speaking on the topic “Reformation Beyond Representation: The Social Life of the Constitution in Remedying Historical Wrongs,” the CJI said that recognising these historical injustices underscored the crucial role of legal reform and the need for a just and inclusive legal system to address the past wrongs and work towards a more equitable society.
He said reformation beyond representation entailed ensuring that marginalised and under-represented communities not only had a seat at the table, but also have a meaningful voice in decision-making processes.
Reformation beyond representation extended to a deeper transformation of power dynamics, policies and social structures, he added.
The CJI visited Dr. Ambedkar’s bust installed in a library of Brandeis University.
President of Brandeis University, Ronald D. Liebowitz, in a video message, thanked the Chief Justice for visiting the campus.
CJI Chandrachud was also felicitated with a specially engraved wooden plaque by the organisers, including Dr. Laurence Simon, Professor at Brandeis and Dr. Sukhadeo Thorat, former UGC Chairperson.
Brandeis University, founded in 1948, is named after Justice Louis Dembitz Brandeis of the United States Supreme Court.