Equal justice and ridding itself of colonial practices should be judiciary’s guiding principles, says President

Droupadi Murmu releases three books of the Supreme Court; notes that the court has developed jurisprudence rooted in Indian ethos

Ridding itself of colonial practices and providing equal justice should be the judiciary’s guiding principles, President Droupadi Murmu said on Tuesday.

Releasing three publication of the Supreme Court including one titled, Justice for Nation: Reflections on 75 years of the Supreme Court of India, Ms. Murmu said she shared the views of those who admire the contribution of the “court as the conscience-keeper of Independent India”. She said the top court has developed a jurisprudence that is rooted in Indian ethos and realities.

“The experience of suffering imperial arrogance, like those caused by the bitter opposition to the Ilbert Bill and the passage of the Rowlatt Act, would have hurt their sensibility,” the President said, referring to the members of the Constitution Assembly.

She said that they conceived the judiciary of Independent India as an arm of the social revolution which would uphold the ideal of equality.

“Equal justice and getting rid of the now-redundant colonial practices should be the guiding principles for our judiciary. While continuing with the useful aspects of the pre-independence jurisprudence, we should remove the legacy over-burden,” Ms. Murmu noted.

She said the book titled Justice for the Nation, captures the high points of the Supreme Court’s 75-year journey.

Mentioning the importance of legal aid clinics, she said: “The status of undertrial prisoners has been an abiding concern for me. I am happy that the report on the prison system, released today, seeks to understand the role of the judiciary in reducing the number of undertrial prisoners.”

The event was also attended by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal among others.

(With PTI inputs)

Published - November 06, 2024 03:37 am IST