Overview

• Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna described the judiciary's role as 'walking on a razor’s edge,' balancing competing rights and obligations in every judgment.
• He underscored that the Constitution protects the judiciary from political pressures, ensuring decisions are fair, unbiased, and guided by law.
• Justice Khanna called for maintaining inter-institutional equilibrium, with the judiciary, executive, and legislature operating autonomously yet interdependently.
• He acknowledged public scrutiny of the judiciary as essential for accountability and improving systemic inefficiencies in the justice system.
• Addressing the backlog of cases, Justice Khanna noted progress in case clearance rates but emphasized the need for legislative reforms like plea bargaining and probation to reduce delays.