New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the people of India have never shown any distrust of the Supreme Court or the judiciary in general. The Prime Minister made the remarks during his address at the National Conference of District Judiciary at Bharat Mandapam here to mark 75 years of the Supreme Court of India.
"People Of India Have Never Shown Any Distrust Of Supreme Court or Judiciary...75 years of Supreme Court is a journey of Constitution, its constitutional values and India emerging as a more mature democracy," the PM said.
"The people of India have never distrusted the Indian judiciary and the Supreme Court. Therefore, these 75 years of the Supreme Court further enhance the glory of India as the Mother of Democracy...I can say with confidence that SC has upheld the trust and faith we have in our institution," he said
The Prime Minister further said that in "dark days of Emergency", the top court protected against the attacks on fundamental rights and whenever the question of national security arose, the judiciary protected the unity and integrity of India by keeping the national interest paramount.
Over the past decade, India has made big strides in reducing judicial delays, investing around ₹8,000 crore on judicial infrastructure development.
— BJP (@BJP4India) August 31, 2024
Notably, 75% of the total amount spent on judicial infrastructure in the last 25 years has been spent in the last 10 years alone.… pic.twitter.com/32S0UV1cda
He said the government has spent 8,000 crore for the development of judicial infrastructure in the last 10 years. "To eliminate delay in justice, work has been done at many levels in the last decade. In the last 10 years, the country has spent about 8 thousand crore rupees for the development of judicial infrastructure. 75 per cent of the amount spent on judicial infrastructure in the last 25 years has been spent in the last 10 years only," Modi said.
"In the Amritkaal of Independence, 140 crore countrymen have only one dream – Developed India, New India. New India, that is – a modern India in thinking and determination. Our judiciary is a strong pillar of this vision," he said.
Drawing the attention towards the burning issue of women safety in the country, Modi emphasized that atrocities against women and the safety of children were a serious concern in the society today and also stressed on the need for swift justice in cases involving crimes against women, which will give them greater assurance of their safety.
Addressing the National Conference of District Judiciary.https://t.co/QRCLSh1mDS
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2024
Modi underlined that the judiciary was a strong pillar of this vision of a developed India and the district judiciary in particular, being the base of our Indian judicial system. He remarked that the district judiciary was the first touchpoint for justice for a common citizen of the country.
Underlining the importance of e-courts, Modi said that the intervention of technology has not only accelerated the judicial processes but also has rapidly reduced the problems of people ranging from lawyers to complainants. The Prime Minister highlighted that the courts were being digitized in the country and the e-Committee of the Supreme Court was playing an important role in all these efforts.
Against the backdrop of the alleged rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata and the sexual assault on two kindergarten girls in Thane, the PM emphasized that atrocities against women and the safety of children were a serious concern in the society today. He highlighted that many strict legislations were enacted for the safety of women in the country. The PM added that in 2019, the government had planned to establish fast-track special courts.
सुप्रीम कोर्ट के 75 वर्ष... ये केवल एक संस्था की यात्रा नहीं है।
— BJP (@BJP4India) August 31, 2024
ये यात्रा है - भारत के संविधान और संवैधानिक मूल्यों की।
ये यात्रा है - एक लोकतंत्र के रूप में भारत के और परिपक्व होने की।
भारत के लोगों ने कभी सुप्रीम कोर्ट पर, हमारी न्यायपालिका पर अविश्वास नहीं किया।
इसलिए,… pic.twitter.com/HwXcnZ8fGz
He emphasized the important role of district monitoring committees under fast-track special courts, consisting of the district judge, district magistrate and superintendent of police. He added that the committee’s role was important in creating coordination between various aspects of the criminal justice system. Modi stressed on the need to make these committees more active and added that the quicker the decisions in cases related to atrocities against women, the greater will be the assurance of safety for half the population.
Referring to the new Indian judicial system in the form of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Prime Minister said that the spirit of these laws is 'citizen first, dignity first and justice first'. He pointed out that India’s criminal laws have been freed from the colonial mindset of rulers and slaves. He gave the example of repealing a colonial-era law like sedition. Throwing light on the idea behind the Nyaya Sanhita to not punish citizens but to protect them, PM Modi mentioned the implementation of stricter laws for crimes against women and children, and provisions of community service for punishment for minor crimes for the first time. Modi also spoke about Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam and said that electronic and digital records have been recognized as evidence under the new laws.
आजादी के अमृतकाल में 140 करोड़ देशवासियों का एक ही सपना है - विकसित भारत, नया भारत।
— BJP (@BJP4India) August 31, 2024
नया भारत, यानी - सोच और संकल्प से एक आधुनिक भारत।
हमारी न्यायपालिका इस विजन का एक मजबूत स्तम्भ है।
- पीएम @narendramodi
पूरा वीडियो देखें: https://t.co/leQN8y1igr pic.twitter.com/qpvTIpPQNy
He also mentioned the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita and said that a system is in place to send summons in electronic mode to reduce the burden of pending cases on the judiciary.
PM Modi unveiled the stamp and coin during the conference commemorating 75 years of the establishment of the Supreme Court and handed them over to CJI DY Chandrachud. Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and President of Supreme Court Bar Association, Kapil Sibal were also present in the inaugural programme.
The two-day conference, organised by the Supreme Court of India, is being attended by more than 800 participants from the district judiciary of all States and Union Territories. The five working sessions will deliberate and discuss issues related to the District Judiciary such as infrastructure, human resources, inclusive courtrooms for all, judicial security and judicial wellness, caste management and judicial training.
