Citizens should not be afraid of approaching courts: CJI Chandrachud

CJI Chandrachud said SC is a people's court; citizens should not fear going to courts. It is an extension of constitutional governance, helping resolve disagreements through established principles. Steps taken to ensure citizens feel connected to court's working and get justice.

The Supreme Court has acted as a "people's court" and citizens should not be afraid of going to courts or view it as the last resort, Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud said on November 26.

He said just as the Constitution allows us to resolve political differences through established democratic institutions and processes, the courts system helps in resolving many disagreements through established principles and processes.

"In this way, every case in every court in the country is an extension of constitutional governance," the CJI said while speaking at the inauguration of the Constitution Day celebrations at the apex court.

President Droupadi Murmu delivered the inaugural address at the programme, which was also attended by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and others.

In his address, the CJI said, "In the last seven decades, the Supreme Court of India has acted as a people's court. Thousands of citizens have approached its doors with the faith that they will get justice through this institution." He said citizens come to court to seek protection of their personal liberty, accountability against unlawful arrests, protection of rights of bonded labourers, tribals seeking protection of their homelands, prevention of social evils such as manual scavenging and even hoping for interference to get clean air.

"These cases are not just citation or statistics for the court. These cases resemble the expectations of people from the Supreme Court as well as the court's own commitment to deliver justice to the citizens," the CJI said.

Apart from ensuring that citizens get justice through its judgements, the apex court has been making continuous endeavours to ensure that its administrative processes were citizen centric so that people feel the connection with working of courts, he said.