SC exists for upholding personal liberty, human rights: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan

Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that the Supreme Court is not established to justify executive action denying liberty and violation of human rights. Speaking at a panel discussion in Goa organised by the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association, Justice Bhuyan emphasised the need for the court to speak in one voice to ensure law is uniformly followed across all courts and countries do not feel hesitant to extradite white-collar criminals. “The very existence of the Supreme Court is for upholding personal liberty and human rights. The Supreme Court is not established to justify executive actions denying liberty and violation of human rights,” he said on Sunday.

Justice Bhuyan said there can be divergence of views but there cannot be divergence of views on the fundamentals of law. “The perception may vary but when we apply principles of laws, there can’t be multiplicity of views in the Supreme Court,” he said.

Observing that the Constitution must be adhered to, Justice Bhuyan said investigating agencies should enhance their credibility and not be selective in targeting criminals when they change political sides. He said, “We need to have a social audit if the Prevention of Corruption Act has achieved its purpose.”