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On 30 June, while delivering the17th Justice PD Desai Memorial Trust lecture, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana spoke at length about the importance of dissent and accountability in a democracy. He said:
CJI Ramana further went on to quote legal scholar Julius Stone as he pointed out that “elections, day-to-day political discourses, criticisms and voicing of protests” are “integral to the democratic process”.
CJI Ramana's remarks on seeking accountability from a democratically elected government have received appreciation from fellow judges, lawyers, and social activists.
(Graphic: The Quint)
Ms Jaising further echoed CJI's viewpoint which believes that democracy is sustained when judges do justice "without fear or favour".
(Graphic: The Quint)
Retired Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, Justice Govind Mathur, told The Quint that he was happy to hear a strong and determined voice from the judiciary.
(Graphic: The Quint)
Justice Mathur, who himself is celebrated as a "protector of civil liberties" within the legal fraternity, said that CJI Ramana is very right in saying that for the judiciary to apply checks on governmental power and action, it has to have complete freedom.
(Graphic: The Quint)
Social activist Harsh Mander, while speaking to The Quint, said that while the comments of CJI Ramana are welcome, we now have to see whether the central government would behave with "greater restraint".
(Graphic: The Quint)
Mander further pointed out that we're living in what scholars characterise as "electoral autocracy" where the executive heavily clamps down on dissent.
(Graphic: The Quint)
CJI Ramana's speech also became a tool for the Opposition parties to ask tough questions and seek accountability from the ruling government.
While people from both within the legal fraternity and beyond have welcomed CJI Ramana's assertive speech on democratic accountability, everyone awaits the translation of these words into practice.
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