Institutions need reform for swift justice, dignity for all, says Om Birla

Birla called for a “major discussion” on how the legislature, executive and judiciary can overcome existing obstacles to uphold the constitutional promise of human dignity for every citizen.

The event, held at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, featured a keynote address by Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on the theme, ‘Human Dignity as the Soul of the Constitution: Judicial Reflections in the 21st Century’.

CJI Gavai traced the evolution of human dignity in the Indian constitutional law, describing it as the “pervasive principle that underlies the very spirit of the Constitution”. He explained how the Supreme Court has consistently interpreted dignity as a core value, expanding the scope of fundamental rights, particularly the right to life under Article 21.

The CJI outlined how jurisprudence on dignity began by protecting the rights of prisoners against inhuman treatment and expanded to encompass a wide array of socio-economic rights. He cited landmark judgments that established the right to education, privacy and the right to die with dignity as essential components of a dignified life.

CJI Gavai referred to two of his recent judgments — his 2024 ruling that laid down guidelines against illegal demolition of homes, noting that “having a house or a roof over one’s head gives a sense of dignity”, and the judgment from last month which termed the practice of hand-pulled rickshaws “inhuman” and directed the state to create a rehabilitation scheme for the pullers.

Both Birla and CJI Gavai paid tribute to Dr Singhvi, remembering him as a scholar-statesman, eminent jurist and diplomat.