Chief Justice says Supreme Court of India has functioned as a people's court
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Justice TY Chandrachud said, “In the last 70 years, the supreme court of india has functioned as a people's court. Thousands of citizens have approached its doors hoping to get justice through this system.” said. He further said that citizens come to court to protect their personal liberties, against illegal arrests, to protect the rights of bonded labourers, tribals to protect their homelands, prevent social evils like human waste disposal and even to get clean air.
""These cases are not citations or statistics for the Court. These cases reflect people's expectations of the supreme court and the Court's own commitment to justice for citizens." Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said. Highlighting the steps taken to deal with the problem of overcrowding in jails raised by the President on Constitution Day last year, the Chief Justice said the motive behind these efforts was to make people realize that the constitutional institution of the judiciary is working for them.
“Individuals should not fear or consider going to the courts as a last resort. Rather, it is our hope that through our efforts, citizens of every class, caste and creed can trust our judicial system and see it as a fair and effective forum for the exercise of their rights.” Continuing, he said, “At times, we as a society may find it humiliating to data-face a lawsuit. But just as the Constitution allows us to resolve our political differences through established democratic institutions and processes, our court system enables us to resolve many of our differences through established principles and processes.”