Overview
- He delivered the 30th Justice Sunanda Bhandare Memorial Lecture in New Delhi on November 12 on the theme “Justice for All: Building a Gender Equal and Inclusive India.”
- He credited vigilant civil society, women’s movements, and ordinary citizens with correcting regressive precedents through reform, reinterpretation, or legislation beyond what courts achieved alone.
- He mapped a three‑phase evolution from foundational statutes to rulings on dignity, reproductive autonomy, and LGBTQ+ rights, citing cases such as NALSA, Navtej Johar, and X v. Principal Secretary.
- He warned that equality cannot stop at token representation, urging that rights and opportunities reach women in smaller towns, villages, and marginalised communities.
- He called on men, particularly those in power, to act as allies by sharing authority, while noting the address offered guidance rather than announcing new legal measures.