CJI Surya Kant urges law graduates to uphold justice, defend liberty

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday urged graduating law students to uphold constitutional values, justice and defend individual liberty, He said that the legal profession calls for integrity and courage, and for a willingness to hear those whose concerns often go unaddressed.

CJI stresses social responsibility in legal education

Addressing the 34th annual convocation of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru, the CJI said that legal education should prepare students to engage with different viewpoints and to know their responsibilities towards society.

“The purpose of legal education extends beyond learning the principles of criminal or constitutional law; it rests in the invigorating experience of encountering those who see the world differently than we do,” he said.

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Lawyers need more than a command of statutes and legal precedents, the CJI said, adding that they had to be ready to defend justice and to listen to people whose voices often go unheard.

“The legal profession is not for the faint of heart. It demands not only the mastery of statutes and precedent but also the courage to defend what is just, and the humility to listen to voices that are often unheard,” he added.

Graduates urged to uphold fairness, independence

The CJI asked graduates to keep their judgment independent and to treat people with opposing views fairly. He urged them to hear others before reaching a conclusion, and keep an assessment of a person’s position apart from respect for that individual.

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“This intellectual independence also calls for fairness: hearing before judging, distinguishing a person from a position and disagreeing without denying another person’s dignity,” he said.

The law continues to evolve through the work of those who practise it, and every case argued, contract drafted, legal advice given and judgment written adds to the country’s justice system, he said.

Warns against compromising professional ethics

The CJI warned graduates against dropping their principles for convenience or taking shortcuts. When choices turn difficult, he said, they should draw on the values they had learnt at the institution.

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“It is this relentless pursuit of honesty which will cement your professional reputation. There will come times when compromise tempts, when expediency entices, and when others take breezy shortcuts. And it is in those moments that you must let the wisdom imparted here, be your compass and stay true to the values you have imbibed in this eminent institution,” he added.

“As you leave this campus, you step not only into a profession but into a calling- to be guardians of autonomy and servants of the people,” he told the graduates. The law, he added, would test their patience and ethics but would also give them the satisfaction of righting a wrong, defending liberty and upholding the Constitution.

Remembers deceased law graduate

Surya Kant also remembered Urvashi Krishnatra, an LLB graduate of the university who had died before receiving her degree at the convocation.

“She should have been here today, receiving her well-deserved degree and sharing this milestone with her classmates,” he said. He offered condolences to her family and friends.

(With agency inputs)