Chief Justice of India Justice N.V. Ramana on Sunday said the ethos of the democratic republic of India is based on the people’s commitment to the welfarist Indian Constitution.
Speaking at 18th convocation of the NALSAR University Hyderabad, the CJI said this commitment must be nurtured at an early age by creating social consciousness and inculcating a culture of lawfulness. The educational institutions of our country, such as NALSAR, play a pivotal role in fostering the spirit of the Constitution, he said.
The CJI also said the Constitution was framed as a radical document which bridged the gap between the aspirations of the past and expectations of the future but it shall thrive only when young citizens honour its principles with conviction.
Quoting renowned jurist John Rawls “Legal philosophers are political philosophers with a specialization that gives language a special importance”, he said a mark of a great lawyer is clarity of thoughts, command over the language and skills to communicate. Unless one is proficient in the language, be it the mother tongue or any other language, he or she cannot communicate their point of view effectively.
CJI Ramana said it’s a field where one measures every word. Whether the person is a lawyer, judge or policy maker, he/she must always be aware about the consequences and possible interpretations of the words and phrases.
The CJI also said the future of law is often dependent upon the understanding of the past and the present. Therefore, a successful practitioner of law must also be well versed with literature, philosophy, history, economics and politics of the land.
There is nothing more difficult in the world than to discover the truth. It requires trained minds to analyze all aspects of it and reach a logical conclusion. The greatness of a lawyer or judge lies in their ability to discover the ultimate truth, and thus secure justice accordingly.
Also Read: NCLT lists new SOPs for physical hearing, continuation of virtual hearing to all benches of Tribunal
A great university is where the mind is freed from the notions of the past and the illusions of the present and a university can teach you this. “You must understand that there is no substitute for direct experience,” CJI Ramana said.
Read full text of CJI Ramana’s speech below
NALSAR-Convocation-19122021