The President of India asks all judges of India ‘To exercise utmost discretion’ inside the courtroom and cautions judges against ‘indiscreet remarks’

Delivering a speech at the event, President Kovind said, "Constitution Day is a great festival of our democracy. It is a day to reiterate our debt to the known and unknown men and women who made it possible for us to lead our lives in a free republic. It is also a day to reiterate our commitment to keep walking on the path they forged for us."

The President said that the Constitution is the roadmap of our collective journey.

President strongly mentioned that "At the core of it are Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. The Preamble expands the notion of justice to include its social, economic and political aspects. That is what the Constitution wants us to secure for all citizens of India".

He also spoke about the need for All India Judicial Services to bring the right talent to the judiciary. He suggested that there can be an All India Judicial Service which can select, nurture and promote the right talent right from lower levels to the higher levels. He also added that the idea is not new and has been around for more than half a century, without being tested.

The President noted that in Indian tradition, judges are imagined as a model of rectitude and detachment more akin to “sthitpragya” [a person of steady wisdom] and the country has had “a rich history of legions of such judges known for their utterances full of sagacity and conduct beyond reproach, which have become hallmarks for the future generations”.

The President quoted Justice Frankfurter of the U.S. Supreme Court in the Dennis versus United States case of 1951, in which the judge had observed,”Courts are not representative bodies. They are not designed to be a good reflection of a democratic society. Their essential quality is detachment, founded on independence”.

While concluding his speech he expresses anguish at the remarks made against judges in social media.

He said“It pains me to no end, therefore, to note that of late, there have been cases of some disparaging remarks against the judiciary made on social media platforms. These platforms have worked wonderfully to democratise information, yet they have a dark side too. The anonymity granted by them is exploited by some miscreants. I hope this is an aberration, and it will be short-lived”.