Justice N.V. Ramana, the senior most judge in the Supreme Court, on Saturday said the greatest strength of the judiciary is the faith of people in it.
"Faith, confidence and acceptability cannot be commanded, they have to be earned," he said in a condolence meeting held in the memory of former Supreme Court judge, Justice A.R. Lakshmanan, by the Madras Bar Association virtually.
Justice Ramana's words are significant in the background of a furore of protest launched by Bar Associations and former judges against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for levelling allegations against the apex court judge and other judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in an "irresponsible manner". The lawyers' bodies have condemned Mr. Reddy's actions of calling a Press conference recently and sharing the letter he wrote to Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde with media persons.
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"It is an important quality for a judge to withstand all pressures and odds and to stand up bravely against all obstacles... Most importantly, particularly for a judge, one must be steadfast in holding on to their principles and fearless in their decisions," Justice Ramana said in the virtual meeting.
Justice Ramana, who is next in line of seniority to be the Chief Justice of India, said "there are innumerable qualities that a person needs to live what can be called a good life: humility, patience, kindness, a strong work ethic and the enthusiasm to constantly learn and improve oneself".
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"Our values are ultimately our greatest wealth, and we must never forget the same," he said in his address.
He quoted Justice Lakshmanan's words that the legacy of the Bench and the Bar is one of "an unbroken tradition of high efficiency, perfect integrity and fearless independence".