Mandi, March 15 – Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, on Sunday said that "people go to hospitals with hope, and the judicial system should also work with the same spirit of service."
"People come to courts with the expectation of relief and justice. With increasing facilities, the responsibility of the judicial system is also increasing," Justice Kant said in this town in Himachal Pradesh while speaking at a legal literacy camp.
Justice Kant also laid the foundation stone of the Judicial Court complex here, to be constructed for Rs 152 crore, in the presence of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu. The state-of-the-art court complex will be built on 9.6 hectares of land and will have four blocks, providing better facilities for judges, lawyers, and the public.
He said that Mandi is also known as Chhoti Kashi, where millions of people visit with great devotion. He said that the foundation of a "temple of justice" is being laid at this place, which will soon be completed.
"Today's gathering is very important; everyone talks about fundamental rights, but fundamental duties are also an integral part of the Constitution and should be followed," he said.
He said that Himachal Pradesh has preserved its natural beauty, and it is necessary to make people aware of their fundamental rights. He said that similar programmes should be organised even at the grassroots level so that awareness about fundamental duties can increase.
Justice Kant said that "the love and respect of the people has brought him to Himachal Pradesh again and he feels honoured by their affection."
Chief Minister Sukhu welcomed Justice Kant to the state and invited him to visit again. In his address, he said that ensuring access to justice and rights for every citizen of the state is the commitment of the government.
He said that the government is working towards inclusive development and social justice in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution. Through education, healthcare, social security, and transparent administration, the government is ensuring that every citizen gets equal opportunities and that the roots of democracy become stronger, said the Chief Minister.
The government has adopted about 6,000 orphaned children as "Children of the State," for which the first law of its kind in the country has been enacted.
He said that the legal age of marriage for girls has been increased to 21 years so that they can have rights and opportunities equal to boys.
Giving equal rights to daughters, the government has provided them equal rights in ancestral property up to 150 bighas, which earlier was limited only to sons.
To ensure the education of the children of widowed women, the Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojana has been started, under which the state government is bearing the cost of their education. He said that by organising revenue Lok Adalats, the government has resolved about 5.5 lakh pending cases which had been pending for several years.