No place for word 'subordinate' in judiciary: Vice President Dhankhar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said that judiciary is the most important organ of our country and there is no place for the word 'subordinate' in it.

Dhankar added that no court is subordinate and there should be a change in this.

Speaking at the Inauguration Ceremony of the AIR Library for Advocates at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur, the Vice President said, “When a magistrate or a district judge writes a judgment, there is a doubt in their mind as to what will be the comment on their decision. That decision determines his future.”

Dhankar suggested that industrialists and corporate groups should also provide assistance in judicial projects on the lines of assistance provided to other institutions. He said that companies have CSR funds and they should invest in local courts.

Further, the Vice President described the changes made in the three penal codes as an important event that freed us from the colonial mindset. He said, “The journey from ‘Dand Vidhan’ to ‘Nyaya Vidhan’ is a significant journey unshackling us from colonial mindset and colonial legacy. After implementation from July this year, this is a boon to the young lawyers.”

“I had the good fortune to preside over the Council of States, the House of Elders, the Upper House when these three legislations were passed. A very powerful committee went into each and every provision, it was analysed at micro level,” the Vice President added.

Recalling his connection with the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Dhankar said that after he assumed the office of the Vice President, he was invited by the SCBA and he had been its member for quite long.

He said that if we have to make justice affordable and accessible, then we have to give quality justice to the people and focus primarily on District Courts, Magistrates, District Judges and young lawyers.

“We have to take care of young lawyers… we have to invest in them. There are good institutions for lawyers and law graduates in the country and it may happen that they may not survive. There should be a collective effort for this,” Dhankar added.