Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, during an event on Saturday, stressed on the “fearless spirit of independence of courts” and said it saved democracy during the Emergency in 1975. CJI Chandrachud, who took over as the Chief Justice of India in November, was felicitated by the Bombay High Court on Saturday.
At the ceremony, he spoke at length about several judges from the past and his experience working with them. The CJI said, “It was judges like Rane who kept alive the torch of freedom that had dimmed in those years of Emergency in 1975. It was the fearless spirit of independence of our courts that saved Indian democracy in 1975.”
He said that Indian democracy stands firm because of the “fiery tradition of our own courts, of judges of the bar coming together and raising the flag, and the torch of liberty for which our court stands and has always stood”. Speaking about the Bombay High Court, the CJI said that its strength lies in its ability to write, prepare and legislate for the future.
He said, “We have to do everything we can to attract the best talent to the Bombay High Court. I believe that judges play an important role in providing mentorship to the Bar.”
CJI appreciates contribution of technology helping court during pandemic
The CJI also acknowledged the growing emphasis on technology in the functioning of courts. “The nature of judicial institutions has changed in the last few decades. There is increasing use of technology in our functioning. If technology was not there in the time of Covid pandemic, we would not have been able to function,” he said. The CJI said that the infrastructure put in place during the pandemic should not be destroyed. “It is important that we use technology even if we are not comfortable with the technology,” he said.
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