Never Mutilate The Idea Of India Where Unity In Diversity Is As Important As Unity : Former Judge Akil Kureshi
Emphasizing the importance of preserving the concept of unity in diversity of the country, former Chief Justice of Rajasthan and Tripura High Court, Justice Akil Kureshi said that the idea of India as a diverse nation should never be mutilated."Now an idea of India has emerged where there is a modern, liberal scientific outlook, where social, and economic justice is a continuous march,...
Emphasizing the importance of preserving the concept of unity in diversity of the country, former Chief Justice of Rajasthan and Tripura High Court, Justice Akil Kureshi said that the idea of India as a diverse nation should never be mutilated.
"Now an idea of India has emerged where there is a modern, liberal scientific outlook, where social, and economic justice is a continuous march, where unity in diversity is as important as unity. I would ask the students of law not to let this idea of India be mutilated," he said.
Kureshi was speaking at an event organised to confer him with the SGS Award for Ethics in Legal Profession. The function was organised by the juniors of former Advocate General of Tamil Nadu Late Mr. S Govind Swaninadhan.
He said that a judge needed to have courage, a spotlessly clean image and a total lack of personal ambition to be completely fearless.
In his acceptance speech, Kureshi said that a judge always had to lead with his legal understanding and any action, order or judgement which was made against his legal understanding would take the judicial independence one step away.
“At a personal level, a judge needs three qualities.Courage- to do what is right, spotlessly clean image and total lack of personal ambition. Only then you could be fearless…Any actions, any order, any judgement that a judge makes against his legal understanding is taking judicial independence once step away,” Kureshi said.
Attempt to Bring In Transparency In Judiciary Misfired
The judge also said that an attempt to bring in transparency in judiciary was misfired in the NJAC case. He opined that a group of three, or five judges could not always grapple and grasp all the aspects of the system that needs to be corrected. He instead suggested inviting former judges, social workers, politicians and even citizens to having debates and eventually bring out mechanisms for improving the system.
Speaking about the recent practice of the Supreme Court Collegium making public the reasons for rejection of a candidature for elevation, Justice Kureshi said that he had been always against the practice. Kureshi said that a candidate who would have agreed to confidentiality would then be forced to continue practice while the reasons for his rejection are made public.
Expressing gratitude on receiving the award, Kureshi said that the award was even more special as it was for ethics in the legal profession. He said how while taking oath as a judge, he had promised himself that he would like to be remembered as an ethical and impartial judge.