Supreme Court And High Courts Work Together, Says Chief Justice

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant stated on Sunday that the Supreme Court and High Courts are not competing destinations for justice. He spoke at the Kerala High Court's platinum jubilee celebrations in Kochi. He stressed the need to build public trust in High Courts as the first place people go for constitutional help. The Chief Justice pointed out the importance of Article 226. This article gives High Courts the power to issue orders to protect fundamental and legal rights. He noted that timely help matters most. The difference between justice and injustice depends on whether a court steps in when people need it the most. He called the top court and High Courts constitutional partners with shared duties. Constitutional justice does not only happen in New Delhi. Instead, it relies on a countrywide network of 25 High Courts. These courts understand local problems, regional communities, and the real-world effects of government actions. The CJI praised Kerala for its role in women's representation in the legal system. He mentioned Anna Chandy, who was the country's first woman High Court judge. He also named M Fathima Beevi, the first woman Supreme Court judge. Furthermore, he remembered a 1999 Kerala High Court order that banned public smoking. That order protected the right to breathe clean air under Article 21.

Context

High Courts serve as the main constitutional courts at the state level across India. Strengthening their role helps reduce the heavy backlog of cases reaching the Supreme Court. Article 226 gives these state courts wide powers to protect citizen rights before matters escalate further.