Vijayawada: The survival of the Indian democracy will be at stake if citizens lose faith and trust in the judiciary, Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana said on Saturday.
"If the people lose the faith and trust in the judiciary and if the judiciary collapses, the very survival of democracy will be at stake," the CJI, who is retiring on August 26th, said.
He was addressing the inauguration ceremony of a court complex in Vijayawada, the building for which he had laid the foundation stone nearly a decade ago.
He stated that he focused on filling vacancies of judges, appointing 250 high court judges, 12 on Supreme Court and 15 chief justices for various high courts. Saying these include vacancies in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, he urged the chief minister and chief justice of Andhra to fill vacancies in the courts in the state.
Noting that the high pendency of cases is a persistent problem in the country, the CJI said filling up the vacancies of judges and improving infrastructure were the two issues on top of his agenda during his tenure of one-and-half years.
Filling vacancies in the judiciary and improving infrastructure were his prime agendas during his tenure as CJI, he said. Also, he ensured that all sections of society, especially women and backward sections, received proper representation in the third organ of the democracy.
He urged the Centre to provide funds to the state for the construction of court buildings. "Though there was some opposition from the Centre, some Chief Ministers, especially of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, supported me and demanded that the Centre provide the funds. I thank them for their support," he said.
He reminded judges and lawyers that ensuring speedy deliverance of justice is their responsibility.
"You have a responsibility. You enjoy a respectable position in society, which is looking at you. You should be role models for a change in society," he told lawyers.
The feeling that Andhra Pradesh became economically weak and lagging after bifurcation is correct to some extent, but the people should work hard to put the state into progression, Justice Ramana advised.