CJI BR Gavai: Judiciary a Bridge Between People’s Aspirations and Constitutional Ideals

Speaking at the Nepal-India Judicial Dialogue 2025 in Kathmandu, the CJI underlined that courts were tasked not only with resolving disputes but also with ensuring that principles of justice, equality, and human dignity were upheld in practice.

“In both countries, the judiciary serves as a bridge between the aspirations of the people and the ideals enshrined in the Constitution. It is tasked not only with resolving disputes but also with ensuring that the principles of justice, equality, and human dignity are upheld in practice,” he said.

CJI Gavai said that by interpreting the law in light of contemporary challenges, courts could guide governance, inspire public trust, and reinforce democracy as sustained not merely by institutions but by the values they embodied.

He described the judiciary as both a “guardian and a catalyst,” safeguarding the foundational structures of society while encouraging reforms to strengthen its moral and ethical fabric.

Highlighting the evolving judicial role, he said it had expanded beyond the strict application of statutory provisions to engaging with the deeper purposes and consequences of law. “Over the decades, this proactive role has become central to the judiciary’s identity,” he observed.

The CJI further emphasised that the Supreme Court’s contribution to democracy and justice extended beyond pronouncements. Equally significant, he noted, were innovations in court management, case-flow procedures, digital infrastructure, and access-to-justice initiatives, which reflected a vision of a “responsive, efficient and inclusive” judiciary.

Referring to India’s rapid digital expansion; with internet reaching over 95 percent of villages and subscriptions rising nearly 280 percent between 2014 and 2024, he said the COVID-19 pandemic had accelerated technology-driven reforms in the judiciary.

In today’s interconnected world, he added, judiciaries must learn from each other’s experiences. “Such exchange of knowledge and experiences has become a necessary element for the growth and effectiveness of modern judiciaries,” he said.

Last week, speaking at the 11th Dr. L.M. Singhvi Memorial Lecture, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice B.R. Gavai had declared that “human dignity is the soul of the Constitution”, tracing how the Supreme Court has consistently elevated dignity as the unifying principle binding liberty, equality, fraternity, and justice.

Justice Gavai had underscored that dignity extends beyond individual autonomy to encompass the rights of marginalized communities. He had cited the Court’s interventions in gender equality cases such as Babita Puniya (2020) and Nitisha (2021), where discriminatory practices against women in the Army were struck down as affronts to dignity. Similarly, cases like Jeeja Ghosh v. Union of India (2016) and Vikash Kumar v. UPSC (2021) reinforced the dignity of persons with disabilities by mandating inclusive practices.

More recently, in Amar Jain v. Union of India (2025), the Court had declared digital access a constitutional imperative, holding that bridging the digital divide is essential to secure dignity and equal participation in public life.

Justice Gavai had reminded that human dignity was central to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s vision of fraternity as the essence of democracy, and to the framers’ commitment in the Preamble to assure the dignity of every individual. By grounding constitutional interpretation in dignity, the judiciary has ensured that the Constitution remains a “living instrument, responsive to evolving societal challenges while faithful to its foundational values.”

Concluding with a resonant line from the privacy judgment, Justice Gavai had declared: “To live is to live with dignity… Dignity is the core which unites the fundamental rights because the fundamental rights seek to achieve for each individual the dignity of existence.”

Speech At: Nepal-India Judicial Dialogue 2025 in Kathmandu

Date of Speech: September 5, 2025