Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has described the mechanism developed by the Supreme Court and high courts to address complaints against judges as robust, very responsive and timely, while stressing the need for continuous reform and greater transparency in the judiciary.
Delivering the keynote address at the 6th Ram Jethmalani Memorial Lecture on Justice Seen to Be Done: Transparency and Public Trust as Pillars of the Legal System, in New Delhi yesterday, the CJI said reform must remain the norm and no institution could afford to take pride in remaining static.
He said the judiciary itself had acknowledged the importance of criticism, reiterating the Supreme Court’s position that the institution is not, and cannot be, averse to criticism. He added fair, informed and constructive critique of judicial functioning is a legitimate and necessary feature of a vibrant constitutional democracy.
Justice Surya Kant said this principle was at the heart of judicial transparency. He observed a court, cannot expect to command public confidence by placing itself beyond scrutiny. Instead, it must remain open to being examined, questioned and, where necessary, criticised. He also drew a distinction between public trust and public approval, saying true public trust is established when even those who lose a case continue to believe that the judicial process was fair.