Judiciary Central to Safeguarding Citizens’ Freedoms, Says Vice President Ansari
Jammu, April 2, KNT: The Vice President of India, Mohammad Hamid Ansari, underscored the pivotal role of the judiciary in safeguarding the Constitutional rights of citizens, stating that courts remain the ultimate custodians of justice in a democratic framework.
He was addressing the 16th Convocation of University of Jammu in Jammu. The ceremony was attended by the then Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, N. N. Vohra, the then Chief Justice of India, T. S. Thakur, Vice Chancellor Prof. R. D. Sharma, along with faculty members, students and other dignitaries.
In his address, the Vice President observed that citizens increasingly turn to the judiciary to resolve social and legal disputes owing to its accessibility, affordability and the confidence that justice will be delivered in a timely manner. He maintained that the credibility of democratic institutions rests significantly on the judiciary’s commitment to fairness and constitutional morality.
Touching upon India’s constitutional character as a secular republic with a composite culture, Ansari noted that any discussion on secularism must be grounded in the lived realities of a diverse and heterogeneous society. He posed critical questions on how the Indian State, both in principle and practice, has shaped and sustained the essential elements of secularism and composite culture.
Referring to constitutional provisions, public policy pronouncements and judicial interpretations, he said these collectively illuminate the evolving understanding of secularism in India. Citing eminent jurists, he emphasized that unless courts ensure that the Constitution and the law apply equally and fairly to all citizens, they cannot be said to have fulfilled their custodial responsibility.
Describing Indian secularism as ameliorative in nature, he said its incremental approach should be harnessed to strengthen social cohesion and promote enduring social peace. [KNT]
