Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai on Friday underscored the deep and longstanding relationship between the judiciaries of India and Nepal during the Nepal-India Judicial Dialogue 2025 held in Kathmandu.
Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation
CJI Gavai recalled that in April 2025, the Supreme Courts of both nations signed an MoU to strengthen cooperation further. He said the dialogue’s theme, ‘Changing Role of the Judiciary: Jurisprudential Developments and Reforms by the Indian Supreme Court’, reflected the evolving responsibilities of courts in both countries.
Nepal’s Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut and justices of the Nepal Supreme Court also attended the event.
“Courts are not just platforms for dispute resolution; they are institutions that safeguard democracy, equality, and human dignity,” CJI Gavai said.
He stressed that the judiciaries of India and Nepal can learn from each other to strengthen democracy and justice.
CJI Gavai Lauds Nepal’s Supreme Court
CJI Gavai lauded the Nepal Supreme Court for its landmark rulings on gender justice, privacy, and environmental rights. He expressed optimism about expanding cooperation between the two judiciaries in the future.
Tracing India’s constitutional journey, CJI Gavai cited the 1973 Kesavananda Bharati case, which introduced the ‘basic structure doctrine’ now seen as the backbone of Indian constitutional jurisprudence.
He noted that the Supreme Court has since recognised fundamental rights such as the right to education, privacy, dignity in life and death, marriage, and reproductive rights.
CJI Gavai emphasised that the benefits of reservation must reach the most disadvantaged groups and that the ‘creamy layer’ should be excluded. He also referred to landmark rulings that advanced women’s rights.
Speaking on disability rights, CJI Gavai declared that digital access is a fundamental right for all. He highlighted that the Supreme Court recently recognised the fight against climate change as part of fundamental rights.
On electoral reforms, CJI Gavai reminded the gathering that in 2024, the Supreme Court struck down the Electoral Bonds Scheme as unconstitutional, reinforcing the court’s role in safeguarding free and fair elections.
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