CJI B R Gavai asserts that the Supreme Court should not revolve around the Chief Justice alone. He calls for democratic functioning and equal partnership between bar and bench.
New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai highlighted the importance of democratic values in the judiciary and asserted that the Supreme Court must not function as a “chief justice-centric court.”
Speaking at a felicitation ceremony organized by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), the CJI underscored the collective role of judges and the Bar in upholding justice.
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CJI Gavai firmly stated,
“I believe that the chief justice is only the first among equals and the Supreme Court should never be a chief justice-centric court.”
He stressed that the highest court in the country belongs to all judges and members of the Bar equally, and not just to the head of the institution.
According to him, the decision-making process in the Supreme Court must be collaborative and transparent, where every judge’s opinion is respected.
Further elaborating on this democratic principle, he said,
“And therefore, I believe in a democratic functioning. So whatever decisions we take are the decisions of the full court.”
This remark reflected his belief in consensus-building rather than individual control.
During his speech, CJI Gavai shared the remarkable performance of the court during what are traditionally considered vacation months.
The Supreme Court, which had renamed its summer break as “partial court working days,” managed to dispose of an unprecedented number of cases. He proudly acknowledged,
“I must say that with the cooperation of all of you and my colleagues, we have had the highest number of disposals during partial working days in the last so many years.”
Expressing gratitude towards the legal community, he said,
“As a matter of fact, I have always considered the bar and the bench to be equal stakeholders in the institution of administration of justice.”
He emphasized that both sides play an equally vital role, comparing them to the two wheels of a chariot.
CJI Gavai shared his experiences from his earlier judicial career at the Bombay High Court. He said that as the chairperson of the infrastructure and building committee, he made it a point to include bar association representatives in decision-making.
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His intention was to ensure that the concerns of all court users, especially lawyers and differently-abled litigants, were taken into account during infrastructure development.
He recalled,
“Whenever new buildings were to be constructed, the president and secretary of the bar association would be part of the panel which would finalise the plans.”
While not making direct assurances, the Chief Justice assured the legal community of a positive and responsive approach.
He stated,
“I will not promise you anything but on behalf of all my colleagues, I can only assure that we will look at all the demands in a positive manner and we will always consider that the bar is an equal stakeholder.”
The function was also attended by Attorney General R. Venkataramani and SCBA President Vikas Singh, who addressed the gathering and expressed appreciation for the Chief Justice’s inclusive and reform-oriented outlook.
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