Bombay High Court is more than a building or a roster; it is a culture: CJI Surya Kant

The Bombay High Court is more than a building or a roster; it is a culture that embodies sharp yet disciplined advocacy and disagreement that never slips into disrespect, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said in Mumbai on Saturday.

The CJI was speaking at a felicitation event organised by the Bombay High Court.

“For anyone who has spent time within its precincts, the Mumbai High Court is more than a building or a roster .... It is a culture where advocacy is sharp but disciplined, where disagreement does not descend into disrespect and where the dignity of an institution is preserved even in moments of contest or desperation,” he said.

The CJI described the High Court as a “grand tradition” built on intellectual rigour, professional civility and institutional independence that sets a benchmark for courts across the country.

The High Court, with 160-odd years of history, has produced some of the finest judges and most formidable advocates and has made enduring contributions to constitutional jurisprudence, he added.

In his address, the CJI also stressed that the administration of justice is never the work of judges alone, while recounting his two-decade experience at the Bar.

“Courts function well when judges decide with clarity and advocates assist with preparation, candour and restraint. Where this partnership is strong, justice gains credibility,” he said, while cautioning that no procedural reform can compensate when this partnership between the Bench and the Bar weakens.

The CJI reiterated his push for dispute resolution beyond the courtroom, calling mediation, conciliation and arbitration the “instruments of mature justice” for preserving relationships and saving costs and delays.

The success of this, he said, depended on a proactive Bench and a professional Bar.

He warned that speed must never come at the cost of fairness and that reform must always be guided by constitutional values rather than administrative convenience.

Through all changes, he emphasised that the principle of trust must remain constant.

“Trust is built daily in how hearings are conducted, how lawyers are treated, how delays are explained and how power is exercised,” the CJI said.

CJI Kant also thanked the State government for liberal budget allocations for building judicial infrastructure in Maharashtra and for their support for the development of a new High Court building.

On the permanency of the Kolhapur circuit Bench, the CJI assured that he will examine the issue, take it up with the quarters concerned, and extend consistent support from the Supreme Court to this cause.