Hyderabad: Justice V. Ramasubramanian, head of the National Human Rights Commission and former Supreme Court judge, spoke at a seminar about the role of the judiciary in protecting human rights. He stated that free speech should not offend others.
Justice Ramasubramanian highlighted the need for courts to carefully manage conflicts between constitutional rights. He mentioned that Article 18 helps decide which right should take precedence when rights clash.
He pointed out that governing India is challenging and discussed the judiciary’s significant contributions in four main areas since the country’s independence. First, he stressed the importance of making justice accessible to everyone.
Article 21, which ensures the right to life and liberty, has been expanded to cover the right to livelihood, dignity, and movement. The judiciary has also strengthened the Directive Principles by aligning them with Article 21, thus making them more enforceable.
Another key role of the judiciary is creating laws where none exist. For instance, courts have established temporary legal measures, like gender sensitization committees for women, to fill legislative gaps.
Justice Dr. Shameem Akhtar from the Telangana High Court acknowledged that while no system is perfect, the judicial system is moving towards a fairer society. Dr. Vidyadhar Bhatt C. from the Telangana State Human Rights Commission emphasized that the judiciary acts as the guardian of human rights in a democracy.
The seminar concluded with agreement on the judiciary’s consistency and trustworthiness in safeguarding human rights in India. The event gathered senior lawyers, law students, civil society members, and media personnel.
