Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said the Supreme Court must not legitimise executive actions that curb liberty or breach human rights. Speaking in Goa, he stressed judicial unity to uphold law uniformly and promote global cooperation for extraditing white-collar offenders worldwide.
NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has asserted that the apex court’s role is not to endorse executive actions that infringe upon liberty and violate human rights.
During a panel discussion held in Goa and organized by the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association, Justice Bhuyan highlighted the importance of a unified voice from the court to ensure consistent adherence to the law across all jurisdictions, and to encourage countries to cooperate in the extradition of white-collar criminals.
He stated,
“The very existence of the Supreme Court is for upholding personal liberty and human rights. The Supreme Court is not established to justify executive actions denying liberty and violation of human rights,”
Justice Bhuyan acknowledged that while differing perspectives may exist, there should be no divergence on fundamental legal principles.
He further remarked,
“The perception may vary but when we apply principles of laws, there can’t be multiplicity of views in the Supreme Court,”
He emphasized the necessity of adherence to the Constitution and urged investigating agencies to enhance their credibility rather than selectively target individuals based on their political affiliations.
He stressed that the Central government should not influence the transfer or posting of judges.
He added,
“We need to have social audit if Prevention of Corruption Act has achieved its purpose.” On the previous day in Pune, Justice Bhuyan described the independence of the judiciary as “non-negotiable,”
Highlighting that the most significant threat to judicial independence “is from within,” Justice Bhuyan expressed his concerns regarding the collegium’s decision to transfer a High Court judge at the suggestion of the Centre.