CJI Champions Integrity as Legal Profession's Bedrock
Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant delivered a powerful message about the critical importance of integrity in the legal profession during his address at the International Convention on Independence of Judiciary. Speaking at OP Jindal Global University in Sonipat on Saturday, the CJI emphasized that honesty and integrity are no longer abstract virtues but essential tools for survival in today's challenging digital landscape.
Justice Surya Kant highlighted the particular challenges facing modern society, noting that "truth must compete with noise, where deepfakes distort reality, misinformation multiplies, and digital arrests have become disturbingly routine." He stressed that in such an environment, integrity serves as the foundation that supports both justice and professional reputation.
Constitutional Wisdom for Young Legal Minds
Addressing the next generation of legal professionals, the CJI offered crucial guidance for their career journey. "Let integrity be the basic structure of your character, and let nothing amend it," he advised young law students gathered at the event. He emphasized that the constitution's endurance depends directly on the moral foundation that sustains it.
Drawing from his extensive experience, Justice Surya Kant shared that integrity and honesty represent "the only legitimate shortcut to genuine success" in the legal field. This marked his first public speech in his home state since assuming the position of Chief Justice of India.
Constitutional Khaat: A Powerful Analogy
During a reflective session focused on the reenactment of the landmark Kesavananda Bharati judgment, the CJI presented a compelling comparison between India's Constitution and the traditional Indian 'khaat' or 'charpai' - the woven cot commonly found across rural India.
Justice Surya Kant explained that the Constitution's remarkable durability stems not just from its textual foundations but from the "careful weaving" of principles, restraint, and institutional balance that hold the document together. "Its frame is strong, its legs sturdy, but it is the careful weaving of rope that gives it form and function," he observed.
The CJI elaborated on this analogy with precise detail: "Pull the ropes too tight, and it snaps under strain. Leave them too loose, and the structure sags. It is the precision of that weave, the deliberate tension between rigidity and flexibility that makes it enduring." He identified this careful calibration as mirroring the Basic Structure Doctrine, describing it as the "weave of our constitutional khaat."
Historic Judgment Reenacted
The convention featured a detailed reenactment of the famous Kesavananda Bharati case, originally decided by the Supreme Court in 1973. This landmark judgment established the crucial Basic Structure Doctrine that continues to shape Indian constitutional law.
The enactment saw 13 Supreme Court judges, including CJI Justice Surya Kant, presiding over the bench. Renowned legal professionals including Attorney General of India R Venkataramani, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, and senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Sidharth Luthra presented arguments representing both the petitioner and the Union of India, faithfully recreating the original 1973 proceedings.
Following the dramatic reenactment, the 13-judge bench shared reflections highlighting the enduring legacy of the Kesavananda Bharati case and the importance of judicial independence. The original judgment, delivered on April 24, 1973, established that certain fundamental constitutional features including democracy, secularism, federalism, and the rule of law cannot be amended by Parliament.
Enduring Constitutional Principles
Justice Surya Kant expressed profound respect for the Kesavananda Bharati judgment, stating that he does not regard it as "a mere legal precedent." Instead, he described it as "one of the most profound affirmations of India's commitment to constitutionalism and the Rule of Law."
The CJI emphasized that the Basic Structure Doctrine was not an invention but a "rediscovery" of principles already embedded within the constitution, particularly the fundamental concept that power must always remain accountable to principle. He praised the Supreme Court of that era for demonstrating "constitutional maturity far beyond its age," especially remarkable given that India was only two decades into its democratic journey at the time.
Justice Surya Kant highlighted how the Kesavananda Bharati judgment confirmed that India's constitutional framework "bends without breaking," maintaining crucial balance between Parliament's legislative authority and the judiciary's role as guardian of fundamental values. This carefully calibrated equilibrium, he asserted, remains vital for preserving India's democratic promise.
The event also featured the inauguration of IMAANDAAR (International Mooting Academy for Advocacy, Negotiation, Dispute Adjudication, Arbitration and Resolution), recognized as the world's largest moot court facility in the country, established at the university campus.
The convention attracted substantial participation from Supreme Court judges, high court judges, former Chief Justices of India, former Supreme Court judges, 14 international judges and jurists, along with academics, practicing lawyers, and law students from across the country.
