On 75th anniversary of first sitting, CJI hails SC as true people’s court

As the Supreme Court marked the 75th anniversary of its first sitting, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on Tuesday described it as a true people’s court, accessible to the common public and “responsive to the conscience of our democracy”.

“What began in 1950 as a successor to the Federal Court, has evolved into perhaps the world’s most vibrant and dynamic apex court, one that truly embodies the aspirations and diversity of 1.4 billion Indians,” CJI Sanjiv Khanna said, addressing a Ceremonial Bench to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the first sitting of the Supreme Court of India.

“What sets our Supreme Court apart on the global stage is its unique character as a true people’s court. The court remains accessible to the common public, and in its diversity of the judges in these courtrooms, the multitude of voices find representation at the highest level of our judiciary,” the CJI said.

Tracing the Supreme Court’s transformative journey in the past 75 years, Justice Khanna said, “What emerges is not an unmoving structure carved from sandstone, but rather a living, breathing institution. It has been responsive to the conscience of our democracy, adapting and evolving to embrace the complexities of each era while remaining rooted in the bedrock of constitutional values.”

“No other apex court worldwide navigates such an expansive domain — from personal liberty to environmental issues, from intellectual property rights to privacy to the right to information,” the CJI said while sitting with all 33 judges of the Supreme Court.

“Seventyfive years after our constitutional journey began, the SC stands transformed, yet anchored in its foundational mission. This transformation reflects a deeper recognition — that justice must be both principled and practical. In doing so, it makes the constitutional promise of justice – social, economic and political — a living reality for millions of Indians. Over the seven and a half decades, this court has transformed the constitutional promise into a reality through its judgments,” he said.

Highlighting the challenges faced by the judiciary, he said, “While the court’s journey reflects remarkable evolution in rights and reach, three challenges demand our attention. First, the weight of arrears which continues to delay justice. Second, mounting costs of litigation threatens true accessibility. Third, and perhaps most fundamentally — justice cannot thrive where and when falsehood is practised. These challenges mark the next frontier in our pursuit of justice.”

Dividing the top court’s journey into five periods — the Sunrise Years (1950s), the Years of Anchorage as well as Discovery (1960s), Years of turbulence leading the way to social justice and equality jurisprudence (1970s and 1980s), Era of Consolidation and Expansion of Fundamental Rights (1990s) and 2000s till today, the CJI said, “Each decade of our court’s jurisprudence serves as a mirror to our nation’s challenges.”