Judiciary Not Above Scrutiny: CJI Surya Kant Calls Criticism Vital For Democracy

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Monday underlined that the judiciary must stay open to public examination if it is to retain the confidence of citizens. Delivering the keynote address at the 6th Ram Jethmalani Memorial Lecture on the theme 'Justice Seen To Be Done: Transparency And Public Trust As Pillars Of The Legal System', he asserted that no court can demand faith while placing itself beyond questioning. He termed fair, informed and constructive criticism as essential to a vibrant constitutional democracy, one that strengthens institutional accountability and enables self-correction.

The CJI emphasised that reform cannot be a one-time exercise but must be the norm, noting that no institution can take pride in remaining static. At the same time, he cautioned that certain internal and administrative matters may not be suitable for debate on a public platform. Linking judicial authority to public trust, he observed that unlike the executive and legislature, the judiciary holds neither the power of the purse nor the power of the sword, and its only real currency is the trust it earns from the people.

Elaborating further, CJI Surya Kant stated that public trust is not ornamental but foundational, and it cannot be earned once and preserved forever. It must be renewed continuously through the everyday, case-by-case experience that citizens have with the justice system, rather than through a single landmark verdict. He added that transparency demands reasoned judgments, as a court that delivers an outcome without explaining its reasoning has not truly been transparent, and clarified that trust is distinct from popularity, as courts earn legitimacy not by giving desired results but by being principled. Senior Advocates Harish Salve and Mahesh Jethmalani also addressed the gathering.