Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant emphasized the importance of recognizing the human element in legal disputes during the launch of former Chief Justice of India BR Gavai’s book, ‘The Voice of Justice: Justice Gavai Speaks’. The event took place on Tuesday at the residence of Vice President of India, CP Radhakrishnan, who served as the chief guest.
Justice Vikram Nath of the Supreme Court and Justice Gavai himself also addressed the gathering, while Professor S Shivakumar, the editor of the book, provided an introduction to the volume. CJI Surya Kant lauded the book as an ‘intellectual record of constitutionalism in motion,’ noting that speeches can sometimes better convey constitutional concerns and institutional values than formal judgments.
‘The Constitution is not self-executing,’ CJI Kant stated. ‘Its promise becomes real only when institutions remember the human being behind the dispute.’ He further elaborated that Justice Gavai’s speeches consistently highlighted the importance of access to justice, free legal aid, and compassion in justice delivery, urging that fundamental rights and social justice should be seen as complementary rather than competing values.
The Chief Justice also acknowledged the book’s exploration of modern issues such as technology, legal education, arbitration, climate change, judicial collaboration, and public trust in the judiciary. He advocated for legal institutions to remain principled and accessible, maintaining their humane aspects even as they modernize.
Vice President Radhakrishnan described the book as ‘an important constitutional and institutional document,’ noting that institutions derive their strength not only from constitutional authority but also from public trust and constitutional culture. ‘An institution’s true character is revealed not by the powers vested in it, but by the wisdom guiding the exercise of those powers,’ he remarked.
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Justice Gavai expressed initial hesitance about compiling his speeches into a book but hoped it would inspire students, lawyers, judges, and scholars to engage more deeply with constitutional ideas. ‘Judgments necessarily decide disputes before the courts,’ he said. ‘Speeches, however, permit a judge to participate in a wider constitutional conversation.’
Justice Vikram Nath praised the book as ‘timely and long overdue,’ offering readers insight into the person behind the judgments. ‘Judgments necessarily speak in the disciplined language of law. Speeches, however, often tell us a lot more about the judge, the values he holds, the institutions he believes in, and the society he hopes to help build,’ he noted.
The event was well-attended by sitting and former judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, including Attorney General R Venkataramani, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, as well as various members of the Bar and legal academics.
