We need more bold & courageous judges for Constitution to survive: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Mumbai: Speaking at the farewell ceremony of former Supreme Court judge Justice Abhay S Oka, organised by the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa, sitting Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan stressed the need for bold and courageous judges to uphold the Constitution of India.
Quoting Caroline Kennedy, Justice Bhuyan remarked, “We need to have more bold and courageous judges. We have had such judges and will continue to have them, and this is how the Constitution will survive.” He added that the rule of law is the bedrock of any democracy and that an independent judiciary is essential for decisions free from political influence—something he said reflected Justice Oka's judicial journey.
Reflecting on the evolution of the basic structure doctrine, Justice Bhuyan referred to the 1963 Supreme Court of Pakistan judgment in Fazlur Kadir Chaudhary vs Mohammad Abdul Haq, noting it as an early instance of the concept of basic features. He reaffirmed the validity of India’s Kesavananda Bharati judgment, stating that while it has been criticised as anti-democratic, the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court has upheld it in at least ten judgments.
Addressing the issue of judicial appointments, Justice Bhuyan spoke against the now-struck-down NJAC Act, stating it violated the principle of separation of powers and undermined judicial independence. He dismissed former Union Minister Arun Jaitley’s criticism of the Collegium system—where Jaitley had referred to “the tyranny of unselected judges”—as “untenable and without place.”
Concluding his speech, Justice Bhuyan cited India’s first President Dr Rajendra Prasad: “We have prepared a democratic Constitution but the successful working of the Constitutional institutions requires in those, who have to work them, willingness to respect the viewpoints of others, capacity for compromise and accommodation.” Commenting on the relevance of the quote, he said, “How prophetic his words were. He spoke this in 1949, and today we are in 2025. It was important then and so relevant even now.”
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IndiGo flight makes emergency landing in Raipur after passenger falls unconscious onboard
Raipur (PTI): A Kolkata-Pune IndiGo flight made an emergency landing at Swami Vivekananda Airport in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur on Thursday after a woman passenger suffered a medical emergency mid-air, officials said.
After the passenger lost consciousness during the journey, the flight crew immediately alerted Air Traffic Control (ATC) and sought urgent medical assistance, following which a decision was taken to land the aircraft in Raipur, an airport statement said.
"Flight 6E-135 was diverted and landed safely at the Raipur airport at around 12 noon. Upon landing, a medical team arranged by the Airports Authority of India provided first aid to the passenger. She was later shifted to a nearby hospital by ambulance for further treatment," it said.
After completion of necessary procedures and the situation normalised, the flight resumed its journey to Pune at around 1 pm, an official said.
The entire operation was handled swiftly and in a coordinated manner, ensuring passenger safety and minimal disruption, he added.
