New Delhi [India], November 5 (ANI): President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday on Tuesday launched three publications of the Supreme Court in the presence of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, CJI-designate Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice BR Gavai, and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.
The President launched three publications namely- Justice for the Nation: Reflections on 75 years of the Supreme Court of India, Prisons in India: Mapping Prison Manuals and Measures for Reformation and Decongestion, and Legal Aid through Law Schools: A Report on working of Legal Aid Cells in India.
Addressing the gathering CJI said the President released three publications of the Supreme Court which are of seminal importance.
“It is nigh on impossible to understate the importance of the publications which are being released today. Of the three publications, one is a collection of essays which analyse the jurisprudence of the court since its foundation and the remaining two are studies which assess the functioning of legal-aid cells in universities and the state of prisons, respectively,” said the CJI.
All three publications are moments of self-reflection, both for the Supreme Court as well as the larger legal system, he added.
He further said that for any institution, the pursuit of excellence necessitates the deliberate act of self-reflection. As part of this process, we must carefully assess our past and present and use what we extract to inform our actions in the future, CJI added.
“While the compendium serves as a valuable tool for judges, lawyers, and citizens to ruminate on the direction the law has taken in the past several decades, the reports provide valuable data and analysis which will enable various actors in the legal system, including courts, the Legal Services Authorities at the national, state, and district levels, and legislative bodies, to better understand the nature of problems which prevail at the grassroots.”
It is only after understanding these problems accurately that appropriate, effective solutions can be crafted and implemented. Without a clear picture of ground realities, laws and policies will have limited impact and may even entrench existing problems, he said.
He said that the first report – Prisons in India: Mapping Prison Manuals and Measures for Reformation and Decongestion- is a result of the President’s vision and it is but appropriate that it is being released by her.
“This report analyses the prison manuals of all States and Union Territories and tests its provisions on the touchstone of the Constitution. It also examines the role of the district judiciary in adjudicating applications for bail, the use of alternative punishments for convicted persons and their reformation. The report deals with certain aspects of prisons that have seldom received institutional attention, such as menstrual equity and reproductive rights for female prisoners and de-addiction initiatives,” said the CJI.
Addressing the gathering he said that one of the significant findings of the study was that the caste of prisoners often determined the work which they are allotted, with inmates from oppressed castes being allotted tasks related to sanitation.
Instrumentalities of the state will no doubt find the report useful while framing policies in relation to prisons, he said.
CJI Chandrachud said legal aid clinics are meant to perform two equally crucial functions and the second report which is being released today is titled Legal Aid Through Law Schools: A Report on the Working of Legal Aid Cells in India.
“They are aimed at supplementing the state’s legal aid programs as well as developing the skills of law students. In the process, it is hoped that they inculcate a sense of service to society in each generation of lawyers. It is therefore essential for the legal community to direct its attention to legal aid clinics and ensure their proper functioning. Our report is a much-needed step in this direction,” he further said.
In the third book – Justice for the Nation: Reflections on 75 Years of the Supreme Court of India – retired judges, eminent jurists, academics, and lawyers have contributed to this volume of essays which critically analyse key themes and trends in the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court.
“The essays cover numerous topics ranging from the late Fali Nariman’s discussion of preambular values to Dr Upendra Baxi’s exploration of the limits of judicial review. A number of chapters address the evolution of different fundamental rights, from those related to gender and disability to free speech and caste,” he said.
He further added, “I hope – nay, I am certain – that this volume will catalyse a lively discussion amongst the public and the legal community on the role of the Supreme Court in our democracy.” (ANI)
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