Peace shall only prevail when people's dignity, rights are protected: CJI NV Ramana

Srinagar, May 14: Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Saturday said for the functioning of a healthy democracy, it was imperative that the people felt that their rights and dignity were protected and recognised and "expeditious adjudication of disputes was the hallmark of a healthy democracy".

"Denial of justice would ultimately lead to anarchy. Soon the institution of the judiciary will be destabilised as people will look for extrajudicial mechanisms. Peace shall only prevail when people's dignity and rights are recognised and protected," said the CJI at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the new High Court building complex at Srinagar. Also Read | Punjab: Fire breaks out at Amritsar's Guru Nanak Dev Hospital The ceremony was also attended by Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, Supreme Court Judges Justice UU Lalit, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Justice Pankaj Mithal among others. The CJI said courts had the constitutional duty of adjudication of rights and upholding the aspirations of the Constitution in the country. "One of the major challenges to the protection of rule of law and human rights is the inability of the formal justice system to deliver speedy and affordable justice to all," he said. "The justice delivery mechanism in India is very complex and expensive," the CJI added. He further said the judiciary must be at its innovative best to ensure that the challenges to its working were met with just and Constitutional measures. "Technology has been a strong aid to the judiciary. Now, virtual courts are bridging the gaps of accessibility by reducing time, cost and distance. But in a country like India, where a vast digital divide still exists, much needs to be done in order to harness the full potential of technological innovations," he said. Also Read | India reports 2,858 fresh Covid-19 cases, 11 deaths The CJI started his speech by quoting poet Ali Jawad Zaidi, 'Muddaton baad jo aayaa hoon is vaadi mein Ik naya husn, naya rang nazar aata hai' (I have come to this valley after ages. I can see a new beauty, new colour).  He said these words reflected his sentiments. CJI Ramana said J-K had produced many eminent jurists and judges, among them were two former Chief Justices of India, Justice AS Anand and Justice TS Thakur, and nine Judges who "adorned the bench of the Supreme Court and the 10th one, Justice Kaul is on the dais with us". Expressing delight over the foundation stone laying of the new High Court Complex in Srinagar, the CJI said "solving the problems of infrastructure is very close to my heart". "I have consistently emphasised the need for development and modernisation of infrastructure. Sadly, post-independence, judicial infrastructure has not been overhauled to meet the demands of the growing needs of modern India," he said. "We are far behind in making our courts inclusive and accessible. If we don't attend to this urgently, the Constitutional ideal of access to justice would stand defeated," CJI added. He further said that the district judiciary was the foundation of the judiciary and only if the foundation was strong, the entire system could flourish. -PTC News