Writing Judgments alone does not Contribute to Justice Delivery: CJI Ranjan Gogoi

* Assamese version of Courts of India: Past to Present released

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi on Sunday observed that mere writing judgments does not lead towards making contributions to the justice delivery system.

“Writing judgments is part of the business of judges,” CJI Gogoi said while addressing a solemn function at Pragjyoti ITA Cultural Centre at Machkhowa here on Sunday evening. He was addressing the function after releasing the Assamese version of ‘Courts of India: Past to Present’, a book published by the Supreme Court in English in 2016.

Praising the original writer Vinay Thakur, Justice Gogoi said the book has chronicled the history of courts of India in such a beautiful and fascinating manner that it has become a must-read for everyone associated with the justice delivery system. He urged the young lawyers and students of law to go through the book.

Referring to Thakur’s another book titled ‘Architecture of Justice: A Pictorial Walk-through the Supreme Courts and High Courts of India’, Justice Gogoi said, “The book is heavy but fabulous. It explains the justice delivery system in India.” He said the book is not about photographs alone and is replete with interesting trivia and anecdotes about the monumental court buildings.

Justice Gogoi, while referring to another book titled ‘Gauhati High Court: History & Heritage’ penned by eminent writer Arup Kumar Dutta said “these (books) are real contributions to the justice delivery system.”

CJI Gogoi, who came to the city after delivering the historic Ayodhya verdict on Saturday, said he does not want to get into any contentious issue. He said he has talked about his mind and heart in a book release function held in New Delhi on November 3. “Today I will only speak a little which is close to my heart,” Justice Gogoi said, adding that translation of ‘Courts of India: Past to Present’ into Assamese is a great effort by his colleague Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde and a team of the Gauhati High Court.

Justice Bobde, who is also the CJI-designate, said even though ‘Courts of India: Past to Present’ is a masterpiece it could not reach the millions of people in the country since it was written in English. He said the Sunday’s function offered him a kind of undiluted pleasure since the first translation of the book into regional languages that too into Assamese was being released in Guwahati, a historic city.

Speaking at the book release function, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal congratulated CJI Ranjan Gogoi for delivering the historic Ayodhya verdict. He said the State Government will keep copies of both Assamese and English versions of ‘Courts of India: Past to Present’ available in its libraries.

During the function those associated with the task of translating ‘Courts of India: Past to Present’ into Assamese were felicitated. The translation wing of the Gauhati High Court was entrusted with the job. Besides justice Bobde, Supreme Court judge Hrishikesh Roy and Gauhati High Court judge Manojit Bhuyan were closely associated with the translation work.

Supreme Court judge Shripathi Ravindra Bhat, who played a pivotal role in publication of ‘Courts of India: Past to Present’ within a stipulated deadline, also spoke on contribution of the book for the present and future of the justice delivery system.

Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court Ajai Lamba gave the welcome address. Legal luminaries from different parts of the country attended the function.

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