Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud on Tuesday said that court premises, like all buildings, are not merely made of bricks and concrete, they embody hope and serve to uphold the virtues of justice and the rule of law.

The CJI, in his address on the occasion of laying the foundation stone of court complexes at Delhi’s Karkardooma, Shastri Park & Rohini Sector 26, said that every case filed before the court carries the hope of justice.

Justice Chandrachud further said, “When we invest in the safety, accessibility and comfort of our judges, lawyers and litigants, we are not just building an efficient system, but fostering a just and inclusive system.”

He added that since the inception of the Karkardooma courts in 1993, numerous expansion projects and additional complexes have been constructed and completed.

The new court complexes enhance the efficiency of the court and reduce pendency, the CJI said.

Throwing light on the role courts, he added that they serve as a repository of precedent and an accumulation of social histories, and judges apply the present law drawing upon the past law to shape the future law, and through their ruling they bridge historic legal principles with contemporary issues and challenges, crafting the legal landscape for tomorrow, the CJI said.

Speaking further, Justice Chandrachud said that courts engage in rigorous discussion and arguments over legal principles and their application to specific cases.

The judges carefully deliberate on the merits of each side’s arguments before reaching a decision, ensuring a thorough and balanced examination of the issues at hand, he added.

“Much like how the cornerstone of buildings shapes its structure and orientation, the cornerstone of justice and equality must shape the orientation of the court’s approach to cases,” the CJI noted.

Highlighting the importance of district judiciary, the CJI said, “Our district judiciary is at the frontline to secure justice, liberty, equality and fraternity.”

“Courts are the guardians of these foundational virtues, we uphold them through rights-based substantive laws and fairness-based procedural laws,” he added.

The CJI further complemented the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, the Delhi government and everyone associated with the project, expressing hope that the new courts come up soon.

“Above all, we have to keep the litigants in mind and serve their cause,” the CJI added.