NEW DELHI: Access to justice is a Fundamental Right guaranteed by the Constitution to citizens, Chief Justice
Dipak Misra said on Tuesday.
Justice Misra, who was speaking at Justice V R Krishna Iyer Memorial Lecture, hailed late Justice Iyer for his contribution to the Indian jurisprudence.
"He (Justice Iyer) was the judge who believed in the humane and compassionate spirit of the Indian Constitution. He walked through the idea of democracy...
"There has to be access to justice and Justice Iyer built the edifice to access it. Access to justice is a Fundamental Right and there is no doubt about it," the CJI said.
Attorney
General K K Venugopal, who delivered the lecture, on 'the role of judiciary in protecting
Human Rights of the poor and marginalised', said that allowing people to live in poverty was denying them the human rights.
"The courts have to ensure that criminal cases are not delayed. Access to justice is Fundamental Right. The government and the courts need to make a collaborative effort to ensure that cases are not delayed," the AG said.
Justice Iyer, considered as a legal luminary and a crusader for social justice, was a judge of the Supreme Court from July 17, 1973 to November 14, 1980 and died on December 15, 2014.
PTI file photo
