The Chief Justice of India (CJI), D Y Chandrachud, stated on Sunday that the Supreme Court has acted as a “people’s court” and citizens should not hesitate to approach the courts or see it as a last resort. Justice Chandrachud emphasized that just as the Constitution allows for the resolution of political differences through democratic institutions, the court system helps resolve disagreements through established principles and processes.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Constitution Day celebrations at the Supreme Court, the CJI highlighted that every case in every court in the country is an extension of constitutional governance. He acknowledged that thousands of citizens have approached the Supreme Court over the past seven decades with faith in obtaining justice through the institution. Citizens seek protection of personal liberty, accountability against unlawful arrests, rights of bonded laborers, protection of tribal homelands, prevention of social evils, and even clean air through their cases.
Justice Chandrachud stressed that these cases are not mere citations or statistics for the court, but rather they represent the expectations of people and the court’s commitment to delivering justice. He also mentioned that the Supreme Court has been making efforts to ensure that its administrative processes are citizen-centric, aiming to establish a connection between the people and the working of the courts.
The CJI encouraged individuals not to fear going to courts and to view them as a fair and effective forum for enforcing their rights. He stated that litigation should not be seen as a disreputable entanglement, as the court system helps resolve disagreements through established principles and processes.
Justice Chandrachud mentioned that courts are now live-streaming their proceedings to increase public engagement with the working of courtrooms. Additionally, the Supreme Court has taken steps to translate its verdicts into regional languages using Artificial Intelligence and machine learning. He also highlighted the availability of judgments for free on the e-SCR platform in both English and Hindi, with translations into other Indian languages.
The CJI emphasized the use of technology by the judiciary, mentioning the launch of ‘e-sewa kendras’ in all courts to ensure that no citizen is left behind in the judicial process. He assured the President that efforts are being made to simplify legal processes and prevent unnecessary incarceration.
Justice Chandrachud announced the launch of version 2.0 of the Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records (FASTER) application, which ensures that the judicial order of release is immediately transferred to jail authorities, district courts, and high courts electronically for timely release of individuals. He also assigned the Centre for Research and Planning of the Supreme Court to improve jail conditions and update outdated prison manuals.
Overall, the Chief Justice of India highlighted the role of the Supreme Court as a “people’s court” and expressed the importance of citizens having trust in the court system and viewing it as a fair and effective forum for justice.
