India prospered as it has power to tolerate: President

President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday emphasised on the pluralistic character of the country and said the nation has thrived due to its power of assimilation and tolerance.

Our country has thrived due to its power of assimilation and tolerance. Our pluralistic character has stood the test of time," Mukherjee said while speaking at the golden jubilee celebrations of the Delhi High Court at Vigyan Bhavan here.

"India is a country of 1.3 billion people belonging to three ethnic groups -- Caucasian, Dravidian and Mongoloid -- speaking 122 languages and 1,600 dialects, and professing 7 faiths," he added.

The theme of the Delhi High Court's golden jubilee celebrations being 'Justice for all', he said "it implies empowerment of the weak and equal treatment of law irrespective of one's individual identity".

Referring to the ancient civilisations having accommodated diversities, the president said: "Multiplicity is our collective strength which must be preserved at all costs. It finds reflection in the various provisions of our constitution."

Mukherjee also said that whatever system of appointment was followed for appointment of the Supreme Court and High Court judges, it must operate on "well-established and transparent principles to select the best".

The remark came in backdrop of the Supreme Court recently striking down the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC).

"Vacancies in judicial positions must be filled up on priority. Having said that, expeditious selection must be no ground for sacrifice on quality," the president said.

"The appointment process must conform to the highest standards of probity. Whichever system of appointment we follow, it must operate on well-established and transparent principles to select the best. No one can meddle in the process," he added.

"An autonomous judiciary is a vital feature of democracy. Yet being an important pillar of democracy, it must reinvent itself through introspection and self-correction, as and when necessary," Mukherjee said.

He also said "the judiciary, which is one of the three important pillars of our democracy, is the final interpreter of the constitution and laws".

"It must help maintain social order by swiftly and effectively dealing with those on the wrong side of the law."

Besides Mukherjee, Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu, Delhi High Court Chief Justice G. Rohini, Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also spoke at the function.

Kejriwal stressed on the need for "independent judiciary" and there should have no interference of legislature and executives in the judicial system.

He said that political system is responsible for slower judicial system and the Delhi government is willing to provide "money, officers, infrastructure and land" to deal with the issue.