The International Judicial Conference, 2020 came to a close today with a Valedictory session held at the Supreme Court auditorium..Hosted by the Supreme Court of India, the three-day conference titled ‘Judiciary and the Changing World’ saw judges from various jurisdictions exchange ideas on topics including gender justice, right to privacy, and sustainable development..The event held today featured a Valedictory Address by President of India Ram Nath Kovind, and speeches by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, Supreme Court Justices DY Chandrachud and Sanjay Kishan Kaul, as well as Chief Justice of Australia Hon. Susan Kiefel..Sinister trend of campaigning for judgments on social media: Law Minister RS Prasad at inauguration of International Judicial Conference.In his Welcome Address, Justice Chandrachud lauded CJI SA Bobde for having organised the conference, which the judge observed had “provided a platform for a dialogue among judges drawn from over 20 international jurisdictions.”He went on to remark that the event presented the judges a unique opportunity for social engagement. He pointed out,.“… judges live a stale, and some would say, even an isolated life. The lively bustle of court corridors is replaced almost overnight by the calm and quiet of judicial chambers. Hence experiences such as those gained from this conference rekindle the joy of being surrounded by new ideas and open the windows of our chambers and of our minds to jurisdictions across the world.”.He further opined that over the two-day conference, what stood out was the common challenges faced by judges, rather than their differences. He added,.“… the insights gained in the two days spent in the company of our distinguished colleagues from abroad indicate that justice knows no borders.”.He concluded his address by expressing confidence that,.“...in the years to come, this will be an annual conference, a confluence, which mark a commitment to sharing experiences, exchanging ideas and evolving together in the common pursuit of justice.”Justice DY Chandrachud.Susan Kiefel AC, the first woman Chief Justice of Australia (incumbent), commented on the value of comparing global legal traditions. She observed,.“To see our own legal traditions in a comparative perspective is to see them afresh. That, I think, is one the chief values of gathering to consider common legal questions.”.She went on to speak on Constitutional principles based on the experience in the United Kingdom, Australia and India. As she concluded, she opined,."The task of identifying, refining and adjudicating upon Constitutional principles is one that engages many judges around the world. In one sense, it is a parochial task dependent on the histories and legal systems in which we find ourselves. But what I hope is that it is also a task in which judges can learn from the approaches taken in other parts of the world.”Gaining a fresh understanding on our own Constitutional arrangements and by seeing them and the many issues to which they give rise in comparative perspective…I trust, would stand us in good stead as we seek to engage with the legal challenges of a changing world.”.As CJI SA Bobde commenced his address, he spoke on how “the common thread that binds judges across the world is a commitment to dispensation of justice.” He added that,.“This commitment underlies the creation of a transnational judicial network which thrives on the constant exchange of ideas and dialogue on common challenges that require our immediate attention.”.He went on speak on the Indian Supreme Court, which he noted has charted its own course in the face of a geographically, linguistically, culturally diverse reality. In this backdrop, he commented that,.“India serves as a beacon of hope to independent and developing countries.The Indian Supreme Court is responsible for upholding the rights of over 1.3 billion people.”.In particular, he also spoke on the Supreme Court’s recent initiative to make judgments available in vernacular languages. He went on to remark,“Environmental issues cannot be hindered by national and International borders…Perhaps there is the greatest need for a single system of laws globally on this issue. It is said that human beings are seeds as well as parasites to the earth. We take much more than we give back to the earth…”.“A commitment to access justice furthers the commitment that Constitutions are not meant only to check people in power but also empower those who have been deprived of it. The provision of judgments in vernacular languages makes accessible to people from diverse linguistic backgrounds.”CJI SA Bobde.Notably, he also opined that there is a need to introduce a single law for environmental issues across the world, given the global nature of human impact on the environment. He said,.“Environmental issues cannot be hindered by national and International borders…Perhaps there is the greatest need for a single system of laws globally on this issue. It is said that human beings are seeds as well as parasites to the earth. We take much more than we give back to the earth…”.As he concluded his address, he spoke in favour of exploring ways to introduce Artificial Intelligence in justice delivery and administration, to automate simple tasks that would make it easier to deal with volumes of data. However, he added a cautionary note..“But it must be treated as a tool and its introduction into the judicial system must be done with hesitation and caution, lest it grows in directions which affect human discretion and the human mind is bound to retain its supremacy.”.On a concluding note, he acknowledged that there remained lingering challenges to make sure that the “courts of today are ready for the future of tomorrow.”.President of India Ram Nath Kovind delivered the Valedictory Address of the conference. He said,.“The deliberations in the past two days, I am sure, will go a long way in enriching jurisprudence at the international level.”.President Kovind shed light on the topics that were deliberated upon over the last two days, including those on Gender Justice, Contemporary perspectives on protection of Constitutional values, Dynamic interpretations of the Constitution in a changing world, Harmonization of environmental protection vis-a-vis sustainable development, and Protection of the Right to Privacy in the Internet Age. He said,.“These five topics cover the matrix of the challenges faced by judiciaries across the world”, and noted that the Judiciary in India has been alive to these themes..He went on to laud the Supreme Court of India for its various judgments passed and initiatives undertaken over the past few years..“The Supreme Court deserves admiration for carrying out many radical reforms that made justice more accessible to the common man.”.The event came to a close with a Vote of Thanks delivered by the Supreme Court’s Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul. At the start of his address, Justice Kaul paid tribute to President Kovind, saying,.“Rashtrapati ji’s rise to the highest office of the land is a reflection of aspiring India, where through hard work and dint of effort, people rise to occupy their rightful positions in the social and cultural milieu of the country.”.Going over the topics that were discussed during the conference, Justice Kaul said,.“Just as the world is changing, the Judiciary has to use its synergy and imagination in keeping pace with the changing expectations…The Judiciary cannot be oblivious to changes in the society and to the needs of the most vulnerable.”Justice SK Kaul.He went on to highlight the importance of a gender just world, saying,“The need is to weed out entrenched prejudices by way of progressive pronouncements, the recent one in India being the permanent commission of women in the Armed Forces.”.Justice Kaul recalled the “small role” he played as a judge of the Delhi High Court, which, in 2011, passed a similar judgment. He went on to say,“The Bench of Justice Chandrachud gave the seal of approval of the highest court, but even expanded the scope.”.On the topic of gender equality, Justice Kaul said that the best example of women empowerment from a judicial perspective was present in the form of Chief Justice of Australia, Susan Kiefel.On the role of the Judiciary in serving as a guard against populism, Justice Kaul said,“The Judiciary plays a balancing act. The role of the Judiciary thus, may often become anti-majoritarian.”.[Watch the video].Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.
