In a recent address, Supreme Court Justice Abhay S Oka advocated for the discontinuation of religious rituals, specifically pooja-archana, during court programs. Instead, he proposed bowing down to the Constitution as a gesture of respect and commencement for court events. Justice Oka emphasized the importance of upholding the secular ideals enshrined in the Constitution of India, especially as the nation approaches its 75th anniversary of adoption.
New Delhi: Last week (March 3): As India’s Constitution approaches its 75th milestone, Justice Abhay S. Oka of the Supreme Court has advocated for the stopping of religious rituals during court proceedings. Upholding the spirit of secularism enshrined in the Constitution, he proposes a shift towards commencing court events with reverence to the Constitution’s preamble instead of traditional religious ceremonies.
Addressing a foundation laying event for a new court building in Pune District’s Pimpri-Chinchwad on March 3, Justice Oka emphasized the importance of promoting the constitutional ethos. He asserted the need to replace religious rituals with the act of bowing down to a copy of the Constitution’s preamble to mark the commencement of court programs, especially as the Constitution nears its 75th anniversary.
Justice Oka remarked,
“Sometimes judges have to say unpleasant things. I think we must stop pooja-archana during programs in courts. Instead, we should keep an image of the Preamble of the Constitution and bow down to it to commence a program. When the Constitution completes 75 years, to maintain its dignity, we should start this new practice.”
Reflecting on his tenure as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, Justice Oka revealed his efforts to diminish religious practices within court premises. However, he acknowledged the challenges of completely eradicating such rituals. He sees the Constitution’s impending 75th anniversary as an opportune moment to reinforce secularism within the judiciary and to move away from religious ceremonies.
“When I was in Karnataka, I tried many times to reduce such religious programs, but I was unable to stop them completely. But the completion of 75 years is the best occasion for us to advance secularism,” he stated.
Highlighting the significance of the terms ‘secular’ and ‘democratic’ within the preamble, Justice Oka emphasized their pivotal role in shaping the Indian judicial system. He acknowledged Dr. Ambedkar’s contribution to crafting an ideal constitution that defined the principles of secularism. Despite the origins of the court system being British, Justice Oka emphasized its governance through the Indian Constitution, which explicitly champions secular values.
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