Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, released Solicitor General Shri Tushar Mehta’s book ‘The Bench, the Bar, and the Bizarre and The Lawful and the Awful’ in New Delhi.  On this occasion, several distinguished dignitaries, including Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant, were present.

Addressing the gathering, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that during the 76-year journey of our Constitution, we have deeply strengthened the roots of our democracy. He said that we have certainly reinforced our multi-party democratic parliamentary system, and every change brought about through Parliament and State Legislatures in the country since 1947 has been accepted. He said that this reflects the deep roots of our democracy, in which our Constitution, the people of the country, and our judiciary have made a significant contribution.

Shri Amit Shah said that the people of the country have faith that if any injustice is done to them, the Constitution is alive and vigilant. If their rights are violated, the doors of justice remain open, and whenever the voice of a weak individual or a weaker viewpoint is suppressed, it will certainly be heard in the courts. He said that it is on the basis of these three fundamental pillars that our democracy has become strong, and broadly speaking, the common citizen’s hope for justice is an important reflection of both social balance and the character of the nation. He further said that it is the responsibility of all of us to identify and rectify the small loopholes that still exist in this system, and that both the judiciary and the executive must work together to improve them. He added that this will require moving forward with a concrete and time-bound roadmap.

Shri Amit Shah said that the beauty of our democracy lies in the fact that the Constitution created institutions not to oppose one another, but to maintain balance among themselves. He said that this spirit must be understood in its true sense. The executive takes decisions, while the judiciary conducts a constitutional review of those decisions.

He further said that the makers of our Constitution drafted it with a spirit that carefully preserved dialogue, propriety, and balance. In 76 years, perhaps very few countries would have advanced while upholding all these constitutional conventions and values. He said that it is a matter of great satisfaction for all of us that, by and large, these conventions have remained intact in our country, and we have further strengthened them through traditions.

Union Home Minister said that the strength of democracy comes not from confrontation, but from institutional balance and mutual respect for constitutional propriety. He said that when he speaks of mutual propriety, the spirit of the Constitution itself recognizes and upholds it at several places. He further said that all of us should work together to further strengthen the well-balanced relationship between the executive and the judiciary.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that when an impartial analysis is presented in a book like Shri Tushar Mehta’s The Bench, the Bar, and the Bizarre and The Lawful and the Awful, it gives us a valuable opportunity to introspect and reassess ourselves, our institutions, and the entire field as a whole. He said that the book mentions how poetry sometimes echoes in courtrooms, and also highlights the unique styles and original approaches of several judges. It also recounts incidents such as twin sisters in a country becoming a lawyer and a judge and playing with each other’s roles, and an instance where a judge delivered a verdict while out hunting. He said that all these accounts compel us to think and also provide relief from the otherwise serious atmosphere of the courts. He further said that Shri Tushar Mehta’s book reflects the curiosity of an inquisitive mind and contains concrete examples of the future challenges that artificial intelligence and modern technologies may pose before the judiciary. He added that these warnings should be seriously considered.

Shri Amit Shah said that in his book, Shri Tushar Mehta has beautifully and intricately portrayed the life, humour, satire, and human nature hidden within court proceedings while maintaining the seriousness and dignity of the law. He said that Shri Mehta has dedicated the book to his mother, and that its release on Mother's Day makes the occasion even more special. Shri Shah added, I used to touch my mother’s feet every day, and after her passing, I light a lamp before her photograph daily, in our country, every day is dedicated to mothers

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RK/PR/PS