Lawyers strike makes consumer of justice suffers: CJI

Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Saturday said when lawyers strike the consumer of justice suffers, the person for whom justice meant, and not the judges or the lawyers.

Speaking at a function organised by the Bar Council of India to felicitate him, he said harmony and balance is crucial to maintaining the tranquility of our society and courts as institutions of governance in the country have a role to define that sense of harmony and balance.

Recently, the lawyers of two high courts –Gujarat and Telangana– had protested against the proposal made by the Supreme Court collegium for the transfer of judges.

The CJI said Dr B R Ambedkar -- when he spoke to Constituent Assembly on the eve of the adoption of the Constitution – said satyagraha, strike this was an instrument when we were under colonial rule and Dr Ambedkar said that now we are making migration to under home rule, where we are ruling ourselves so satyagraha and strike, which were relevant during colonial rule etc must give way to cooperation, stability, tranquillity, and balance. “That is the tranquillity, and social stability, I speak about,” the CJI said.

Recalling the days when he was the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court, the CJI said we had a couple of strikes and I would always call lawyers and ask to speak to me, what's the problem they are facing, why do we strike against each other?

"When lawyers strike, who suffers? The consumer of justice for whom we exist suffers and not the judges, not the lawyers. Possibly lawyers, since after a few days fees would stop but the greatest sufferer is the consumer, the person for whom justice is meant," he said.

"So much of what confronts us in terms of pendency etc can be resolved by dialogues and understanding and it is important for members of bar to realise that when we take decisions in administrative capacity, we are looking at things from a national perspective," he added.

The Supreme Court Collegium headed by CJI has recommended transfer of three high court judges for administrative reasons, triggering protests by lawyers at the Gujarat and Telengana High Courts.