SC judge Ujjal Bhuyan calls for strong, vibrant Bar in democracy

Hyderabad: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan of the Supreme Court on Monday underscored that a strong and vibrant Bar constitutes the backbone of the justice delivery system and is indispensable to the preservation of constitutional democracy.

Delivering a lecture titled “Importance of a strong Bar” organised by the Telangana High Court Advocates’ Association at the HC Bar Association Hall, he emphasised the intellectual responsibilities of the legal profession. Justice Bhuyan observed that lawyers must remain lifelong students not only of law, but also of history, science and human behaviour.

He traced the concept of fraternity to the social reform movements led by Dr B R Ambedkar and Savitribai Phule, noting that their contributions laid the foundation for modern democratic values. He stated that the constitution embodies these ideals and places a duty upon citizens to promote dignity and brotherhood, thereby reinforcing the legal profession’s role in advancing social cohesion and national unity.

Paying tribute to eminent jurists from the erstwhile combined High Court of Andhra Pradesh, now the HC for Telangana, Justice Bhuyan recalled the contributions of Justices K Subba Rao and O Chinnappa Reddy. He described Justice Rao, who served as CJI from April 1966 to June 1967, as a jurist of exceptional persuasive ability whose leadership resulted in near-unanimous constitutional bench decisions during his tenure. Referring to observations made by senior advocate Fali S Nariman in his autobiography, he highlighted Justice Rao’s courtesy and capacity to create a judicial atmosphere receptive to change through reasoned persuasion.

Justice Bhuyan reflected on the legacy of Justice Reddy, noting his reputation as one of the most frequent dissenting SC judges and a jurist recognised for his humanist outlook. Citing assessments by former CJI E S Venkataramiah and jurist Upendra Baxi, he observed that the interpretative shift in constitutional jurisprudence, led by judges such as Justices Reddy and V R Krishna Iyer, strengthened protections for the marginalised.