Need to make laws simpler, relatable to younger generation: Justice Sanjiv Khanna
New Delhi (PTI): Supreme Court judge Justice Sanjiv Khanna Sunday said there was a "pressing need" to make laws simpler, accessible, more humane and relatable to the younger generation.
The top court judge, who is next-in-line to become the Chief Justice of India (CJI) after the retirement of incumbent CJI D Y Chandrachud in November next year, said that the Indian Constitution was a "living document" influencing millions of lives and urged all to "move forward with determination unity and optimism".
Justice Khanna was speaking at a Constitution Day event in the Supreme Court in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu, CJI Chandrachud, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and several other dignitaries.
Since 2015, November 26 is observed as Constitution Day to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India by the Constituent Assembly in 1949. Earlier, the day was observed as Law Day.
"As we commemorate the 74th Constitution Day, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment in our nation's journey. Indian Constitution has been repeatedly described as a living document because it is a part and parcel of our daily lives. It had transformed lives of 350 million people in 1950 and continues to have an indelible imprint and influence on the lives of 1 .4 billion people today," Justice Khanna said.
"Today as we reflect on the objectives of our legal system, we must recognise the pressing need to make our laws more simple and accessible (and) secondly, relatable to the younger generation and more humane," the apex court judge said.
Justice Khanna added that several features of the Constitution like affirmative action, a unique federal system with a strong Centre, non-discrimination, right to education for children up to the age of 14, free, fair and transparent elections, and the expansive interpretation of the expression 'life' in Article 21 by the courts stand out and inspire all to chart the course for the future.
"As we embark on the journey towards realising our social and economic aspirations and evolve into a more formidable and progressive nation, we must keep in mind the words of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, which eloquently capture the essence of Indian civilization 'Civilization must be judged and priced not by the amount of power it has developed but by how much it has evolved and given expression to, by the laws and its institutions, the love of humanity'," he said.
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Bengaluru jail introduces biometric tracking system for prisoners
Bengaluru: In a bid to curb misconduct and illegal activities inside Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, prison authorities have introduced a new ‘Prisoners Tracking Movement System’ under which inmates will have to undergo biometric verification while entering every barrack.
According to jail officials, biometric systems have been installed across all major sections of the prison, including barracks, visitor rooms, hospital, canteen, kitchen, library, playground, handicraft units and bakery sections. Staff members have also been deployed at these locations.
Officials said inmates visiting the visitors’ room must now obtain a digital token after biometric verification. Details such as the prisoner’s name, identification number and entry time will be updated in the prison software system. This will help authorities maintain a complete digital record of inmates visiting and returning from meeting rooms.
Similar systems have also been introduced at entry points of the hospital, library and other barracks accessed for work-related purposes. Officials said the system will help identify prisoners involved in suspicious or illegal activities with other inmates and enable authorities to track how much time a prisoner spends at different locations inside the prison.
Authorities stated that AI-powered cameras were already being used inside the prison to monitor inmates as well as prison staff. Along with this, digital tracking of prisoner phone calls and a digital token system for visitor meetings have now been added to strengthen surveillance over inmate movement. Officials said the project has been implemented at a cost of around Rs 2.25 crore.
The prison department has also introduced a canteen usage tracking system to monitor prisoners’ spending patterns. Instead of direct cash payments, inmates can purchase bakery items and snacks using wallets or coupons issued within the prison system.
Officials said the digital system will record details including the buyer’s name, items purchased, quantity, date, time and remaining wallet balance. This will allow prison authorities to maintain complete expenditure records of inmates.
