GUNTUR: Supreme Court Judge Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra stated that the district judiciary is the most important in the Judiciary system. He participated as the chief guest and delivered a keynote address at the seminar “Upholding the Constitutional Vision - The Role of the District Judiciary”, held at the Judicial Academy on Sunday.
On the occasion, Justice Mishra said that India has one of the largest judicial systems in the world and that the Indian Constitution embodies the best features compared to many other constitutions across the globe. He emphasised that every aspect of the justice system must function in accordance with the principles laid down by the Constitution. He advised judges to remain peaceful, calm and composed even in complex situations.
He noted that the Constitution accords a significant place to the district judiciary and stressed that delivering quality justice should be recognized as the primary duty of the judiciary. Access to justice for the common citizen, he said, depends largely on the performance of the judiciary. Court proceedings should be understandable even to ordinary people, which would enhance public trust and confidence in the justice system.
Justice Mishra observed that the judiciary should act as a bridge between law and justice, and that judges must uphold values and responsibilities with discipline and sound legal knowledge. He urged judges to strive for excellence in a competitive environment and to continuously enhance their knowledge. Protecting constitutional values, he said, is not limited to a single duty but should permeate every aspect of judicial functioning.
In addition to performing present duties, referring to past records provides immense understanding, he noted. Delivering judgments alone is not the entirety of the judicial process; integrity must be reflected in those judgments.
He observed that delivering landmark judgments alone is not the sole indicator of performance; resolving day-to-day matters with integrity and in a manner that earns public trust brings greater satisfaction.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court and Patron-in-Chief of the State Judicial Academy, Justice Dheeraj Singh Thakur, said that the district judiciary holds a vital place within the justice system.
He called upon everyone to play a responsible role in maintaining an uncompromising justice system and stated that safeguarding the Constitution effectively is the true respect accorded to it.
Justice Ravinath Tilhari, Judge of the AP High Court and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Judicial Academy, said that the Constitution grants civil rights to every individual and that the district judiciary must robustly protect these rights.
Judicial Academy Director Chintalapudi Purushottam Kumar, High Court judges, Principal District Judges, and judicial officers from various districts across the state participated in the programme.