Overview
- Chief Justice Surya Kant told the Ram Jethmalani Memorial Lecture that the judiciary must accept criticism and cannot earn trust by shielding itself from scrutiny.
- The CJI described the Supreme Court and high courts’ complaint-handling system as timely and robust while questioning whether every complaint should be posted publicly.
- Senior advocates Mahesh Jethmalani and Harish Salve used the same event to call for stronger transparency, including a public database of complaints and action against so-called 'fixer lawyers'.
- Speakers linked the push for accountability to recent controversies such as the Justice Yashwant Varma cash episode and to public trust data cited at the lecture, which show widespread concern about the courts.
- The debate also reopened questions about the collegium appointment model and practical reforms to improve access to justice, with the CJI saying reform must be the rule even as he defended existing processes.