Court of Conscience
WHILE inaugurating the 150th anniversary celebrations of the oldest Bar Association in the country, Advocates Association of Western India, at Mumbai, the President Pranab Mukherjee said -
+ I too was attracted by the legal profession and graduated in the subject. Though I did not have the good fortune to practice at the Bar, the profession is indeed close to my heart as lawyers play a critical role in our society.
+ It should also make you proud that the legal profession is a noble profession especially in a democracy where the rule of law prevails.
+ Lawyers have the duty to ensure that none is denied justice.
+ The backlog of cases in our courts is very disconcerting. The total pendency of cases in the Indian courts is a staggering 3.1 crores.
+ Through your association, you should exhort your members to only seek adjournments where the reasons are compelling. This is of singular importance as delays increase the cost of litigation rendering justice a distance mirage for the vast majority.
+ Lawyers must exude confidence and feel secure in their profession. This is a precondition for the establishment of an effective justice delivery system. At the same time, new entrants to the legal profession require support to find their feet.
And concluded his speech with the following words of Mahatma Gandhi - "There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes all other courts".