Delivering an impassioned constitutional lecture, Supreme Court of India Justice Ujjal Bhuyan asserted that arbitrary state power and authoritarian impulses inevitably thrive on public ignorance, fear, and intellectual conformity. Justice Bhuyan emphasized that cultivating scientific temper and the spirit of inquiry, enshrined as fundamental civic duties under Article 51A of the Indian Constitution, serves as an indispensable bulwark for safeguarding constitutional democracy and the rule of law. He warned that when citizens cease questioning executive decisions, democratic institutions rapidly erode from within.
The Supreme Court judge underscored that independent judicial review and robust public reasoning represent the lifeblood of a free, pluralistic society. He observed that constitutional courts must remain vigilant guardians of civil liberties, ensuring that statutory powers are not exercised arbitrarily or selectively against dissenting voices. Jurists, legal scholars, and law students in attendance praised the address, noting that Justice Bhuyan’s call for intellectual courage and critical inquiry resonates powerfully in contemporary global discussions on constitutional governance.
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Sources:
https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/arbitrary-power-thrives-on-ignorance-fear-supreme-court-justice-ujjal-bhuyan