The CJI Surya Kant urged lawyers to look beyond adversarial litigation, stressing that constitutional adjudication extends far beyond individual cases and ultimately shapes the nation’s future.
CJI Surya Kant makes his 1st public appearance on Constitution day
New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant delivered his first public address since assuming office, choosing Constitution Day as the momentous occasion to reflect on the nation’s foundational values and the indispensable role of the legal fraternity in upholding them.
CJI: Bar is the constitution’s torchbearer
Addressing members of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), the CJI emphasised that while courts stand as the guardians of the Constitution, the Bar serves as its torchbearer, illuminating the judiciary’s path with clarity, scholarship, and conviction.
He noted that the Bar’s diverse perspectives, extensive readings, and vast reservoir of precedent help the judiciary interpret constitutional provisions with a holistic and evolving vision.
CJI praises SCBA’s Role in upholding constitutional values
Citing the SCBA’s stated mission of upholding democracy, Rule of Law, and judicial independence, the CJI acknowledged the association’s long-standing contribution to strengthening India’s constitutional fabric.
CJI Surya Kant (Medal) with other dignitaries
He recalled legendary jurists such as Nani Palkhivala, M.C. Setalvad, Dr BR Ambedkar, KM Munshi, and Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer, whose legal brilliance and advocacy profoundly shaped constitutional jurisprudence.
Bar urged to aid ‘Invisible Victims’
The CJI urged lawyers to look beyond adversarial litigation, stressing that constitutional adjudication extends far beyond individual cases and ultimately shapes the nation’s future.
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He reiterated his concern for the “invisible victims” of the judicial system and expressed confidence that the Bar can play a transformative role in bringing justice to those who remain unheard and unseen.
Call for legal aid and constitutional duty
Highlighting the importance of legal aid, the CJI encouraged members of the legal fraternity to work for the vulnerable and marginalized and to uphold the Directive Principles of State Policy in both spirit and action.
He emphasized that lawyers, with their deep understanding of constitutional ideals, are uniquely positioned to become model citizens and change catalysts.
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Bench and bar guard the constitution
Concluding his address, the CJI stated that the Constitution entrusts its guardianship not to a single institution but to a “consortium of minds and consciences,” in which both the Bench and the Bar play indispensable roles.
