Supreme Court Justice Sanjay Karol said in his farewell speech on Saturday that judges are not gods and cannot be expected to get every decision perfectly right.
He said humility is essential to delivering justice. Judges should not only look at the petitioner in each case but also understand the human being behind the case.
Justice Karol said the Constitution does not only expect judges to interpret and apply the law correctly. It also requires them to apply the law fairly and justly.
He said that, for him, delivering justice was not simply about deciding who was legally right or wrong.
It also meant understanding the circumstances and expectations of the person standing before the court.
Described dharma as duty, not a ritual
While speaking about the meaning of constitutionality and justice, Justice Karol said the easiest way to understand ideas such as law, due process and constitutional validity is through the concept of dharma.
He clarified that here, dharma does not mean any religious ritual, but duty.
He said a judge’s duty is to respect justice and ensure that every person who comes before the court, no matter how weak or insignificant they may be, is seen and heard.
News is being updated.
