Supreme Court prides itself in being people’s court, says CJI

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud emphasised the centrality of public trust to the credibility and legitimacy of the judiciary, stating that the Indian Supreme Court has evolved into the “people’s court”. He was speaking at the Bhutan Distinguished Speakers’ Forum, part of the Jigme Singye Wangchuck Lecture Series, on the theme “Judicial Legitimacy through Accessibility, Transparency and Technology: The Indian Experience.”

Highlighting the Court’s commitment to public accessibility, the CJI said, “The Indian Supreme Court prides itself in being the people’s court,” and as one of the most powerful constitutional courts in the world, it has a heavier obligation toward the people of India.

The CJI underscored the apex court’s efforts to dilute procedural requirements, citing how it often opens itself to matters with as little formality as a letter. He mentioned a recent case where the SC intervened to grant admission to a young Dalit student, whose father was a daily wage earner, after he failed to deposit a fee of Rs 17,500 for IIT, Dhanbad, on time. “We felt that the constitutional power under Article 142 to do complete justice had to be exercised here,” he said.