Retired Supreme Court judge Justice S Ravindra Bhat on Wednesday mentioned how the state exists for the betterment of the people and not the other way around.
Further, he mentioned how it is the citizens who have rights and not the state and instead the state’s work is to secure and facilitate the development of its citizens.
The former Judge while addressing the people at an event on “Shedding Colonial Hangover- Perspectives on Indianising the Legal System” organised by the Kerala Judicial Academy and Indian Law Institute Kerala unit adds that only the citizen who is the right bearers can assert their dignity, right to livelihood and right to assert themselves in governance.
In addition, he further said that Self-rule or swaraj is incompatible with an overwhelming state and cannot be attained by reversing the right duty dynamic by demanding citizens pledge duties to the state and exampled Soviet Russia, which was doing the same thing.
Swaraj respects every citizen’s rights and therefore a duty is owed by citizens to fellow mates in respect to their dignity and inherent worth as fellow citizens.
Besides decolonization, Honorable Justice Bhat also commented on issues that the judiciary faces in this era.
He also mentioned the uniform that is worn by the judges and lawyers, the “Black Gown” which was adopted back in 1658, and emphasised the need to adopt an attire that is more suited to the local climate and their culture as the outfit is supposed to be dignified and not opulent.
Lastly, Justice Bhat spoke about the need to demystify legal language starting with discontinuing the saying of “My Lord” in the courts.
