Polarisation marked by social media growth, intolerance: CJI
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New Delhi: The Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud on Friday stated that the polarisation across the world, including in India, is marked by the growth of social media and the sense of intolerance in society.
Speaking at the 2023 Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Awards held at Nariman Point, he also said India's pluralistic culture and "ability to engage in dialogue" set it apart from many other countries which got independence during the same period but could not sustain democracy.
“Much of the polarization which we see across the globalized world, the polarization between right and left and the centre, the polarization which we experience across the world and India is no exception, is also marked by the growth of social media, the sense of intolerance among communities, the short attention span which the younger generation has,” the CJI said.
Adding that polarisation was not an isolated phenomenon, further noted, “There is something more profound which is going on. It is in the inability of our societies to realise, at the given point, the true worth of self-sacrifice in pursuit of a wider community goal of enabling those who are at the margins of our society, to realise a better future for themselves", he further noted.
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The CJI also added that "it is important for us when we come face to face with injustice, not to look it up as just a passing phase, for if we are not to deal with this with a certain degree of resolve, there is a grave danger that it will envelop and perhaps submerge our societies", CJI Chandrachud said.
“… India is unique because we have been able to sustain democracy. What it is that sets India apart from so many nations across the world which became free with us around the same time but were not able to sustain freedom as a way of life…”, he said.
Before the award function, speaking at the inauguration of the new premises of the Mumbai bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) at Patkar Hall, New Marine Lines, he mentioned that tribunals play a very important role in helping unclog delays in courts and in aiding the overall dispensation of justice.
However, he added that there was also this tussle over the appointment of judges, which led to the thought if it was really necessary to constitute so many tribunals.
"Our tribunals are by and large plagued with problems, and then we ask ourselves was it really necessary to constitute so many tribunals because you do not get judges. When you get judges, vacancies arise which are kept pending for a long period of time. There is this constant tussle of who will have ultimate control over the appointment of judges," CJI stressed.
He also raised the issue of delays in the outcome of cases and said lack of access to court infrastructure has a bigger impact on women lawyers, litigants, physically disabled and visually impaired persons along with senior citizens.
The CJI emphasised the need to make courtrooms more accessible to differently-abled persons and that technology cannot become the sole medium to access justice, and physical access to courts can never be understated and hence must be constantly improved.
With PTI inputs
