CJI BR Gavai stressed the urgent need for integrity, honesty, and quick action in cases of judicial misconduct. His strong remarks come amid serious allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma.
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NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai has once again clearly said that the judiciary must always stay independent. He called this independence the foundation of public trust and India’s constitutional system.
He gave this strong and important message while speaking at the UK Supreme Court Roundtable on the topic “Maintaining Judicial Legitimacy and Public Confidence” on Tuesday night.
ALSO READ: Notable Judgments by Justice Yashwant Varma: Delhi High Court
He said in a clear and direct way that
“Judicial independence is non-negotiable”.
He fully supported the current collegium system used to appoint judges in India. Even though some people criticize this system, he pointed out that-
“Any alternative must not come at the cost of judicial independence.”
CJI Gavai’s comments come at a sensitive time. The Indian judiciary is under public attention because of serious accusations against Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court. A panel formed by the Supreme Court found a huge amount of burnt cash at Justice Varma’s home in Delhi. This could soon lead to impeachment proceedings against him.
Without naming this particular case, CJI Gavai addressed the bigger problem of bad behaviour or misconduct in the judiciary. He said,
“No system, no matter how strong, is immune to professional misconduct.”
He added that
“When such instances surface, the response must be swift, decisive, and transparent to restore public faith.”
CJI Gavai admitted that some past cases of corruption involving judges have harmed public trust in the judicial system. But he said that the Supreme Court has always taken action whenever any misconduct was reported.
He also mentioned new steps taken to make the judiciary more open and honest. He talked about the live streaming of Constitution Bench hearings, which allows people to watch important court cases. He also spoke about the e-SCR portal, which gives free public access to Supreme Court decisions.
He further added that Supreme Court judges are now voluntarily revealing their assets to the public. This is part of a new trend to make the judiciary more transparent and responsible.
He also said that-
“In today’s digital age, where information flows rapidly, the judiciary must be accessible, intelligible, and answerable…without compromising its autonomy.”
CJI Gavai said-
“…the path to rebuilding this trust lies in the swift, decisive, and transparent action taken to address and resolve these issues.”
He pointed out that no system in the world is perfect or completely safe from misconduct. Even a strong system like India’s judiciary can sometimes face such problems.
“Sadly, there have been instances of corruption and misconduct that have surfaced even within the judiciary. Such occurrences inevitably have a negative impact on public confidence, potentially eroding faith in the integrity of the system as a whole,”
-Justice Gavai stated.
CJI Gavai made it clear that when such incidents happen in India, the Supreme Court has always acted quickly and taken the right steps to fix the situation. He said that the top court does not delay when it finds any kind of misbehaviour among judges.
His comments are very important right now because Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court is likely to face impeachment soon. This is a result of a serious investigation.
A panel made by the Supreme Court found a large amount of burnt cash at Justice Varma’s official house in Delhi, which has shocked many and raised big questions about the system.
In his speech, CJI Gavai also shared the steps the Indian judiciary has taken to build more public trust. He talked about new moves toward honesty and public accountability. For example, he said that judges of the Supreme Court have started to share their personal assets on their own.
“Judges, as public functionaries, are accountable to the people,”
-he said.
He also spoke about making courts more open and connected to the public. One way this is being done is through the live-streaming of Constitution Bench hearings.
This allows everyone in the country to watch and understand important court discussions. He also mentioned the e-SCR portal, which lets people read Supreme Court rulings for free online.
“This initiative greatly benefits law students, researchers, and citizens by enabling one-click access to court rulings,”
-he said.
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