Judicial ethics should not be compromised at all: CJI

New Delhi: Judicial ethics should never be compromised as aberrations could bring disrepute to the entire justice system, Chief Justice of India T S Thakur said on Monday, asking the judges to introspect about the public perception regarding their rectitude.

"We need to introspect about public perception about our rectitude. It is painful to see sometimes aberrations occuring at some level or the other which bring a disrepute to entire justice system," the CJI said at an event to celebrate 50th anniversary of the establishment of Delhi High Court.

"I think Delhi High Court has achieved much, but in terms of ensuring that such incidents (aberrations) do not happen, there is much more to be done. I only hope that brother judges at all level take extra care not to give any room for any doubt or anything that is not in tune with judicial ethics and professional rectitude," Justice Thakur said.

The function was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi High Court Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice B D Ahmed and other judges of the apex court and high court.

The CJI said financial constraints cannot stand in the way of making access to justice a reality which cannot be achieved if people have to wait for years for their cases to be decided.

"Financial constraints cannot stand in the way of making access to justice a reality. That is absolutely in tune with our Constitutional philosophy that access to justice should be a reality and it cannot be a reality if people have to wait for years and years for their cases to be decided," he said.

Thakur said this after Kejriwal, who also addressed the gathering at Vigyan Bhawan here, assured support of his government in improving infrastructure and recruitment of more judges in judiciary.