CJI Surya Kant welcomed seven judges appointed to the Supreme Court in 2025, praising their legal depth and shared commitment to constitutional values. He said their collective wisdom will strengthen the Court’s credibility and uphold constitutional morality.
NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Wednesday warmly welcomed seven judges who were appointed to the Supreme Court in 2025. He said that when judges work together and speak in one voice, their combined wisdom strengthens the Court’s commitment to constitutional values and principles.
The CJI said that whenever he interacts with the newly appointed judges, he is impressed by their deep understanding of law, strong grasp of constitutional principles and dedication to the institution as well as to the cause of the common citizen.
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Sharing a metaphor to explain the strength of the judiciary, CJI Surya Kant said,
“I normally think that the court is a vaulted structure. Each judge, all of us, have a distinct stone shaped by different hands and histories. It is the unique strength of each one of us that allows the art to stand. Remove one and the balance shifts.”
He was speaking at a felicitation function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) to honour the seven judges appointed to the apex court this year — Justices K Vinod Chandran, Joymalya Bagchi, N V Anjaria, Vijay Bishnoi, A S Chandurkar, Alok Aradhe and Vipul M Pancholi.
The CJI said that each of these judges brings with them vast learning and a unique judicial voice shaped by years of experience in the legal profession and on the bench.
According to him, their appointment is not just about increasing numbers but about adding real qualitative and jurisprudential strength to the Supreme Court.
Expressing pride in the team, Justice Kant said,
“You whether call them ‘Saptarishis’ or call them seven jewels, I am very happy to be the first among the very distinguished team of judges in the Supreme Court.”
He observed that during the function, the seven judges spoke in different ways but shared a common purpose.
The CJI said,
“And that voice was the commitment to constitutional principles, their commitment and dedication to constitutional morality and also, their commitment to uplift the grandeur and the greater height of the Supreme Court, in which now they are an integral part,”
He added that such collective thinking and shared wisdom would help the institution face present and future challenges. Reflecting on the year coming to an end, Justice Kant said,
“I believe that the simple act of reflection on the entire year, when we evaluate ‘kya khoya kya paya’ (what was lost and what was gained), will allow us to step into the coming year with a clearer mind and a more generous heart.”
Speaking at the event, Justice Joymalya Bagchi highlighted the importance of harmony between the judiciary and the legal fraternity so that justice reaches the most vulnerable sections of society.
He said,
“Every one of us, who administer justice as justices, are all lawyers at heart and it is our endeavour to go to the poorest, the last man in the queue and the weakest. That can only be achieved if we work in harmony.”
Emphasising unity between judges and lawyers, Justice Bagchi added,
“We need to stand up as a community, not as judges and lawyers in classification, but in unison, like two hands which clap, and that is how we can achieve the ultimate fruit of justice.”
Justice Vipul M Pancholi, in his address, underlined that while judicial independence is vital in a democracy, it must go hand in hand with responsibility.
He said,
“It is an acknowledgement that no achievement is solitary and no journey is travelling alone. An independent judiciary is the cornerstone of a democratic society, but independence must not exist in isolation. Rather, it must coexist with accountability.”
Justice Pancholi further explained that judicial decisions are not made in isolation but through constant engagement between the bench and the bar.
He said,
“The true strength of the judiciary lies not in its power, but in its credibility, in the faith the citizens repose in its impartiality.”
Several senior members of the legal fraternity attended the function. Apart from the CJI and the seven newly appointed judges, Attorney General of India R Venkataramani and SCBA President and senior advocate Vikas Singh also addressed the gathering.
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