Justice B R Gavai thanks PM Modi for Rs 800 crore funds for SC's expansion project

New Delhi, Oct 14 (PTI) Senior Supreme Court judge B R Gavai on Monday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sanctioning Rs 800 crore for the Supreme Court expansion project.

Delivering the vote of thanks at the groundbreaking ceremony of the SC's expansion building, Justice Gavai also said the right to justice was a fundamental right and that the new state-of-the-art building for courtrooms, lawyers' facilities would be instrumental in providing speedy justice to the citizens of the country.

Hailing the contribution of the government, he said, "Without the support of the Executive, we could not have implemented this project.

"I express my gratitude to the prime minister who, on November 20, 2023, on this very dais announced that the government has sanctioned Rs 800 crores for this project," he said.

Justice Gavai said the Constitution recognised the right to justice as a fundamental right and the right included access to speedy and affordable justice.

"I am sure that the building will be complete within a short period ...it will have the ultra-modern facilities. And it will go a long way in providing speedy efficient and affordable justice to the end consumer, that is citizens of India," he said.

He also thanked Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud for providing various facilities to the judges, lawyers, litigants and staff of the apex court.

"In the last two years, we have witnessed so many inaugural functions and I am happy that today it culminates into such a grand event," Justice Gavai said.

He also appreciated the contributions of the BCI, SCBA and the SCAoRA for providing support to the project.

"I always consider the Bar and Bench as the two wheels of the golden chariot of the institution of justice; stop one wheel and the efficacy of the other automatically comes to a standstill. And therefore, I must place on record my deep appreciation for the support of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), as well as the Supreme Court Advocate on Record Association (SCAoRA) and, the Bar Council of India (BCI).

Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud also addressed the ground-breaking ceremony.

The SC judges, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal and Law Minister Arhun Ram Meghwal, Attorney General R Venkataramani, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, BCI Chairman Manan Kumar, SCBA president Kapil Sibal and SCAoR Association president Vipin Nair were also present during the function. PTI MNR SJK SJK TIR TIR