The judiciary is “one of the last remaining spaces of hope for the common man,” former Chief Justice of India N V Ramana said on Wednesday, adding that “unwarranted attacks on this institution affect the very foundation of people’s trust”.
Justice (retd) Ramana made the remarks while speaking at the release of his book titled Narratives off the Bench – A Judge Speaks, a compilation of his speeches, at the Delhi High Court.
“When the rank and file of the judiciary are assured that the highest judicial institution stands firm to safeguard their rights and redress their grievances, they are less likely to seek support from other sources such as political and executive powers,” he said.
“As elder brothers and sisters in the judicial family, the honourable judges of the Supreme Court have a moral and institutional duty to look after all the judges of the country…the SC must ensure that the judges feel supported and secure in their roles. The higher judiciary must lead with care and compassion while nurturing a judicial culture rooted in dignity, integrity, and solidarity,” he added.
CJI-designate B R Gavai and Justices Vikram Nath and Surya Kant were also present at the book release function.
Justice Kant emphasised that public engagements by judges reinforce judicial accountability and shape and influence public opinion. “When judges share their insights and opinions in public forums, they perform a vital democratic function. From the dais, they demystify the law, however, in public forums or public engagements, judges actually engage with the public on their concerns and pressing issues that may not have reached the courtrooms, but which still impact the entire nation. In these moments, the public sees them not only as arbiters of disputes but as the true custodians of the Constitution,” Justice Kant said.
Emphasising the need for such public engagement, Justice Kant added, “Public engagement by judges reinforces judicial accountability. The challenges confronting our judicial system – from case backlogs to infrastructure deficiencies – are not abstract policy concerns, they are real problems which impact the daily lives of our citizens. When judges speak candidly about these systemic hurdles, their voices lend weight to the calls for reform, their voices inspire action, not only in the legal community but across the border and larger fabric of the society.”
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“The old adage that ‘judges speak only through their judgments’, in my opinion, is perhaps only partially true in today’s world…speaking about issues such as the value of education, judicial reforms and rights of marginalised communities, judges can pave the way for change in societal outlook. When someone in a position of great responsibility speaks about ideals and principles that are meant to engage society, they influence public opinion and perception. They can make certain ideals more palatable, and over time, these ideals can become the new reality,” he added.
Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court
Professional Profile
Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express.
Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare).
Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others.
She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020.
With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles:
High-Profile Case Coverage
She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy.
Signature Style
Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system.
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