Chief Justice, Surya Kant. (PTI)
Digital Desk, New Delhi. Emphasizing the need to make justice accessible, practical and humane, Chief Justice (CJI) Surya Kant has said that the justice system should not be limited to only the legally competent or powerful, but should reach the last marginalized person.
Confluence of technology and human compassion in justice system Addressing the 11th biennial meeting of the Commonwealth Judicial Educators (CJE) in New Delhi, the Chief Justice said that judicial leadership cannot be limited to mere administrative authority or institutional hierarchy, but should be seen as an intellectual and moral approach.
“‘Procedural complexity should not be a barrier to those who need protection,’ he said. "Courts must remain vigilant to ensure that the justice system is humane and accessible."
While discussing the growing impact of technology, he also gave an important warning. He said integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the justice system is necessary, but AI should aid judicial reasoning, not replace it. Shift from Litigation to Justice-Centric Mechanism The CJI emphasized that the increasing practice of arbitration, conciliation and special courts is a sign of a major change. We are now moving from a 'litigation-centric model' to a 'justice-centric ecosystem'.
According to him, justice should not be merely theoretical but practical which should be timely, efficient and sensitive to the needs of the litigants. “Judges must understand not only the principles of constitutional law, but also the philosophical underpinnings that give meaning to those principles,” he said.
Finally, he urged Commonwealth countries' fora to give greater recognition to the contributions of Indian and Asian jurisprudence, so as to build a people-centric global justice system.
'To improve judicial leadership, it is necessary for judges to be humble'
CJI Surya Kant shared an important and far-sighted view of judicial leadership and clarified that judicial leadership is not weakened by the shortcomings of judges, but by their 'pretense of being perfect'.
According to him, judges also have the potential for improvement and development like other institutions. The most respected leaders are not those who pretend to be blameless, but those who are conscious of their limitations and the possibility of mistakes. He described 'humility' as not only a personal virtue but also a professional safeguard which should be taught to every judicial officer.
(With inputs from news agency PTI)
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