Assam CM hails judiciary for upholding rule of law, rights of citizens

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday hailed the judiciary for upholding the rule of law and ensuring that the fundamental rights and freedoms of the citizens of this country remained intact.

The Chief Minister was addressing the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of the Bar Council of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim at ITA Cultural Complex, Machkhowa in Guwahati.

Coinciding with the celebration, a national seminar on the subject “Role of Technology in Facilitating Speedy Justice” was also held.

Addressing those present, which included the Union Minister of Law & Justice Kiren Rijiju, Judges of the Supreme Court Surya Kant, Hrishikesh Roy, Sudhanshu Dhulia, the Chief Justice of Guwahati High Court RM Chhaya, the Chief Minister congratulated the Bar Council for having successfully completed 60 years of glorious existence.

The Chief Minister, speaking on the history of the country’s judicial system, lauded it for providing a robust foundation for the country’s democracy.

Sarma also stated that the judiciary has always played a key role in upholding the rule of law and maintaining the fine balance of power among the four pillars of our democracy.

“This has ensured the fundamental rights and freedoms of the citizens of this country remained intact,” he said.

“Our judiciary has not confined its powers in dispensing justice alone. This hallowed institution has been a major catalyst in empowering our citizens to be well informed about their rights and also upholding them through its pronouncements,” he added.

Referring to the Vedas, the Upanishads and other ancient texts, the Chief Minister touched upon the subject of the rich tradition of law in the country since times immemorial.

He credited the practitioners from various philosophical schools in ancient India for law/justice attaining a prominent position in the ancient period.

“No doubt the modern Indian Judiciary is partly a continuation of the British Raj legal system,” he said.

“However, one fact still holds ground that from time immemorial, our country had a well-developed system of administration of justice,” the Chief Minister stated, adding that the ancient Indian law was based on “Principle of Dharma or Nyay” that talked about the “principle of Natural Justice”.

“It is the same principle that continues to govern our judicial system even today,” he said.

The Chief Minister lauded the Indian judiciary for strengthening the country’s legal and constitutional framework, which he said emanated from the numerous landmark judgments passed by it.

“It has earned a global distinction as Judiciary with a difference that seeks to build a progressive jurisprudence,” he added.

The Chief Minister exuded confidence the judicial institutions would always remain a sentinel of justice and a guiding force of the world’s largest functional democracy.

Chief Minister Sarma also referred to the judiciary as the saviour of Indian democracy, stating that its landmark judgments on subjects such as “basic structure”, among others, saved the Constitution from losing its spirit.

The Chief Minister also heaped praises on the judiciary for protecting the rights of Indian women, while at the same time upholding their dignity through landmark judgments on subjects like triple talaq, daughter’s right to property, etc.

Terming the judiciary, a great arbitrator, he said the landmark judgment in the Ram Janambhoomi case in 2019 addressed the claims of all stakeholders and settled this long-standing issue in the most remarkable and amicable manner.