Students from IITs, IIMs and NLU discuss judicial reforms with former CJI Ranjan Gogoi

A total of 30 students, who were selected from several Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of Management (IIM), and National Law Universities (NLU) met former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi on June 29 and discussed judicial reforms with him. Besides, IITs, IIMs, and LLUs, some students from Parul University in Gujarat were also part of the delegation which is on a tour to learn “Good Governance”.

“These students are on a ‘Good Governance tour’ and visited Delhi, Chandigarh, and Amritsar. During the tour, their first interaction was with former CJI Gogoi,” Aditya Vegda, Vice President, Chhatra Sansad told India Today NE. 

The students also questioned Justice Gogoi on judicial reforms, constitutional interpretation of laws, the debate over judicial activism vs judicial restraint, usage of technology in the judiciary, and the ways and means to strengthen the judiciary and rule of law. They were curious to know about the collegium system and the difficulties judges face while hearing various cases and how they handle complex cases. When they asked about the most important value that a judge must hold, Justice Gogoi said: “No matter how qualified or well-read a judge is, he or she must be a good human being first and never forget his values.” 

The interaction lasted for more than two and a half hours. Justice Gogoi initially spoke about his journey from being a lawyer to becoming the CJI and then took questions from the students. “He was an epitome of humility and answered every question with minute details,” says Vega. The former CJI asked the students to work together and contribute towards making India a global leader in every sphere. 

The students said that they were deeply inspired by Justice Gogoi’s life and work and this in-person interaction enriched them with a greater understanding of the man behind several landmark verdicts in India. “They got a chance to meet him who has given multiple landmark judgments. They saw him earlier only on TV. In person, he is so humble, jovial, and compassionate,” says Vegda. 

On his part, Justice Gogoi said that he was impressed with the awareness and curiosity of the young students he met. “It was an entirely different experience meeting the next generation, who, I believe, will be able to fill in the gaps that my generation has left,” the former CJI told India Today NE.

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