Justice A K Sikri Anguished Over Backsliding Of Democratic Values

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Supreme Court judge Justice A K Sikri has reportedly told a gathering of law graduates that the values of democracy are at stake.

Speaking as chief guest at the ninth convocation of the Gujarat National Law University, Sikri said, Today, we are undergoing transformation of a different kind. See the world at large. Even the values of democracy, which Greeks gave to this world 2,500 years ago, are at stake there is a backsliding of democratic values.

There are so many challenges, which we may be facing, of a different nature. In all this and in our constitutional scheme, judge has to perform a very vital role. One Ahron Barak, former president of Supreme court of Israel, equal to our Chief Justice of India, has said there are two roles which a judge in a democracy is supposed to perform. One is to uphold the law and Constitution and save the democracy. Second is to bridge the gap between law and society. So, therefore, those of you who join judicial fraternity, these are the roles you have to perform in the challenging world.

Justice Sikri attended the meeting of the high-powered committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge which decided to transfer CBI director Alok Verma earlier this month.

Justice Sikri said his father instilled in him a sense of morality and ethical values.

Nobody says dont earn. You are joining profession to earn. Unlike any business, what is the most admired about this profession is that you can earn a lot by maintaining moral and ethical values, which in some of the other professions, maybe in some businesses, have to be sacrificed, he said.