Constitution will ensure India remains united: CJI BR Gavai

The Constitution has ensured that whenever the country has faced a crisis, it has remained united and strong, Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai said on Saturday. The CJI was addressing a function after the inauguration of advocate chambers and multi-level parking at the Allahabad High Court in Prayagraj. "When the Constitution was being made and its final draft was presented before the Constituent Assembly, at that time some people used to say that the Constitution is too federal while some used to say that it is too unitary. "Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar had replied that the Constitution is neither wholly federal nor wholly unitary. But one thing I can tell you is that we have given a Constitution which will keep India united and strong both in times of peace and war," CJI Gavai said. He said India has been on the path of development after independence due to the Constitution.
In the 75-year journey of the Constitution coming into effect, the legislature, the executive and the judiciary have contributed a lot in bringing social and economic equality, he said. "It is our fundamental duty to reach out to the last citizen of this country who needs justice. Be it the legislature, the executive or the judiciary, everyone has to reach out to that citizen," the CJI told the gathering. Referring to the land reforms, he said some laws were brought under which land was taken from the landlord and given to the landless persons.
"These laws were challenged from time to time. Before 1973, the Supreme Court's view was that if there is a conflict between the Directive Principles and the Fundamental Rights, then the Fundamental Rights will prevail." Gavai said, "In 1973, a decision of 13 judges came that the Parliament has the right to amend the Constitution and for this, it can amend the Fundamental Rights, but it does not have the right to change the basic structure of the Constitution." The Chief Justice of India said that this bench had also said that both the Fundamental Rights and the Directives Principles are the soul of the Constitution.
Addressing the gathering. CM Yogi Adityanath said, it is necessary to empowering the next generation of legal professionals through essential support in their formative years of practice. "Newly advocates are being provided assistance for procuring legal journals, magazines and other essential books during their first three years of practice," he said.
Union Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said that the women led empowerment is the need of the honour. PM Modi has imlemented this concept successfully.