New Delhi: In a resounding affirmation of constitutional ethos, Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai declared on Friday that India’s justice system thrives on the bedrock of law, not the brute force of “bulldozer justice”.
Speaking at a high-profile event during his three-day official visit to Mauritius, the CJI invoked a landmark Supreme Court ruling to underscore that demolishing homes of alleged wrongdoers bypasses due process, flouts the rule of law, and tramples Article 21’s fundamental right to shelter.
“Indian jurisprudence sends a clear message: We are governed by the rule of law, not the bulldozer’s roar,” Justice Gavai asserted, referencing the apex court’s verdict that rebuked executive overreach. He emphasised that the executive cannot serve as both a judge and a jury.
The gathering, attended by Mauritius President Dharambeer Gulab, Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, and Chief Justice Rehana Mungly-Goolab, witnessed the CJI weave a tapestry of judicial milestones — from the 1973 Kesavananda Bharati case, safeguarding the Constitution’s basic structure, to the scrapping of triple talaq, affirming privacy as a fundamental right.
Delving deeper, Justice Gavai highlighted the law’s transformative role in redressing historical injustices for marginalised communities who invoke it to claim dignity. “In politics, the rule of law benchmarks good governance and social progress, miles away from misrule and chaos,” he noted, crediting visionaries like Mahatma Gandhi and B R Ambedkar for envisioning a legal framework beyond mere statutes – one pulsing with equity and foresight.
This timely address, amid domestic debates on vigilante demolitions, reinforces the judiciary’s role as democracy’s sentinel. As India navigates its pluralistic path, the CJI’s words echo: True justice wields the gavel, not the grader.
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