Judges must uphold values with discipline, legal knowledge, says SC judge

Supreme Court judge Prashant Kumar Mishra observed that the judiciary should act as a bridge between law and justice, and that judges must uphold values and responsibilities with discipline and sound legal knowledge. Judges must strive for excellence in a competitive environment and to continuously enhance their knowledge, he added. 

Delivering the keynote address at ‘Upholding the Constitutional Vision – The Role of the District Judiciary’ seminar held at the A.P. Judicial Academy in Mangalagiri on Sunday, Justice Mishra said India had one of the largest judicial systems in the world and that the Indian Constitution embodied the best features compared to many other Constitutions. He emphasised that every aspect of the justice system must function in accordance with the principles laid down by the Constitution. 

He also advised judges to remain calm and composed even in complex situations and stressed on the importance of the district judiciary. He noted that the Constitution accorded a significant place to the district judiciary and the judiciary should recognise delivering quality justice as its primary duty. 

Access to justice for the common citizen depends largely on the performance of the judiciary, he stated, while calling upon the judiciary to ensure that the court proceedings were understandable even to ordinary people in order to enhance public trust and confidence in the justice system. 

Further, Justice Mishra said the conduct of a judge was of utmost importance and clarified that the Constitution was not merely a legal document, and the legislature, judiciary, and executive must function within the constitutional framework. Delivering judgements was not merely about resolving disputes, but giving justice in a meaningful form, he said, adding that the Constitution encompasses matters relevant to everyday life and urged everyone to implement them fully. 

A.P. High Court (HC) Chief Justice and Patron-in-Chief of the Judicial Academy, Justice Dheeraj Singh Thakur, said the district judiciary holds a vital place in the justice system and cautioned against negligence in judicial functioning, adding that it would make delivery of justice properly under Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution impossible. 

HC judge and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Judicial Academy, Justice Ravinath Tilhari, Academy Director Chintalapudi Purushottam Kumar, Principal District Judges and judicial officers from across the State took part.