Independence of judiciary is cornerstone of India's democracy: Mukherjee (Update)

President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday said that the independence of judiciary is the cornerstone of India's democracy.

Addressing a distinguished gathering here on the occasion of the centenary celebrations of the Patna High Court, President Mukherjee said, "The independence of the judiciary is the cornerstone of our democracy. The judicial system in our country should be not only accessible, but also affordable."

Urging all judges and lawyers to join hands in order to achieve the goal of accessible and affordable justice, Mukherjee stressed on the need to speed up the disposal of cases, as justice delayed is justice denied.

He also emphasized that the integration of information communication technology in court processes is required.

Recalling the glorious history of the high court, he said, "When the foundation stone of the Patna High Court building was laid on December 1, 1913, the then Viceroy and Governor-General of India, Lord Hardinge, had said: "I feel assured, that within its walls in future days, justice will be administered with courage and impartiality, to the terror of evil-doers, and to the triumph of every cause which is right and true, so that the High Court of Bihar shall earn a name for sound sense and good law."

The President stated that if any one goes through the history of the Patna High Court, it will be seen that the court has more than lived up to that expectation of Lord Hardinge, and added that landmark judgements have been delivered by this court.

He further stated that the many legal luminaries of the Patna High Court included the first President of India and one of the chief architects of our nation, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, who was a practitioner before this court.

Syed Hasan Imam who presided over the Indian National Congress in 1918 was also a member of the Patna High Court Bar. The first President of the Constituent Assembly, Dr. Sachchidanand Sinha, was a member of the Bar of this Court.

Three Chief Justices from the Patna High Court namely, Justice B.P. Sinha, Justice Lalit Mohan Sharma and Justice R.M. Lodha went on to become the Chief Justice of India, he added.

The President stated that the filling of vacancies in courts across the country must be taken up as a priority.

"The process of selection and appointment of judges should conform to the highest of standards. We must make haste in this regard but without compromising on quality. He stated that the Patna High Court has today 31 judges against the sanctioned strength of 43 judges," he said.

Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Governor of Bihar, Chief Justice of India, Chief Minister of Bihar, Union Minister of Law and Justice, Union Minister of Communication and Information Technology and the Chief Justice of Patna High Court.