CJI Gavai: Justice Krishna Iyer’s Ideas Still Guide India’s Courts

CJI BR Gavai told an audience at the Bombay High Court on Monday that the annual lecture is ‘not merely a commemoration but a celebration of Justice Krishna Iyer’s philosophy’.

He first met the revered judge in 1981, while studying law in Nagpur at an event honouring Dr  BR  Ambedkar, and has drawn inspiration from Iyer’s views ever since.

CJI Gavai cites balancing needs and rights

CJI Gavai cited a landmark case in which he upheld street vendors’ rights, noting that he followed Iyer’s principle: the law treats everyone equally, yet the state must take special steps to protect society’s most vulnerable groups.

Justice Iyer, he said, demonstrated through his rulings that fundamental rights and the Constitution’s Directive Principles “are not adversaries but partners.”

Gavai credited Iyer with showing how courts can weave both sections together to advance social justice.

Championing human dignity

Gavai highlighted Iyer’s unwavering defence of human rights.

The former Supreme Court judge opposed the death penalty, advocated for prisoners’ dignity, and struck down discrimination against women in the Muthamma and Air India cases—decisions that secured equal rights for women in public life.

“Justice Krishna Iyer taught us that law must connect with ground realities, not remain confined to books,” Gavai said.

Whenever a court places substantive justice above technical formalities, he added, it keeps Iyer’s spirit alive.

Justice beyond the courtroom

Concluding his address, the Chief Justice remarked, “I may not fully walk Justice Iyer’s path, but his vision is always with me. He reminds us that justice must be visible not only in courtrooms but in society itself. Each time a court rules in favour of the poor, we honour his legacy.”

Gavai’s speech underscored the enduring importance of empathy, social justice, and equality in India’s judiciary.

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