Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Friday said that the Delhi High Court takes a "disproportionate burden" off the Supreme Court as compared to other High Courts.
CJI said that the top court often reminds lawyers appearing before it that the Delhi High Court is "just around the corner" and that relief may be available there before their matters reach the Supreme Court.
The CJI was addressing a function organised to mark the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Delhi High Court, which completed 60 years. The function was held in the Delhi High Court auditorium in S Block.
The CJI said that the High Court's location in the national capital places upon it a responsibility of extraordinary magnitude, as matters concerning governmental authority, individual liberty and public accountability regularly reach its courtrooms.
He said that the responsibilities of the Delhi High Court have multiplied with the expansion of the city, growth in commerce and increase in litigation over the years.
"What began as a court of just four judges is today an institution that resolves disputes of remarkable variety and complexity. This High Court deserves every appreciation for rising to those demands," he said.
The CJI also highlighted the Delhi High Court's contribution to civil and commercial jurisprudence, particularly its role in developing alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. He noted that the High Court established India's first High Court-annexed arbitration centre in 2009.
He further highlighted its original civil jurisdiction, which allows significant civil and commercial disputes to be heard directly by the High Court without litigants having to approach district courts first.
The CJI also praised the High Court's specialised Intellectual Property Division, saying that it has earned a formidable reputation in India and abroad for the quality of its jurisprudence.
Further, Justice Kant said that courts now confront questions scarcely imaginable a decade ago- whether a work generated by artificial intelligence can claim copyright protection, how the law should respond to deepfakes, and how innovation may be encouraged without letting technology undermine individual rights.
He added that such questions would rarely find ready answers in statute books, making it necessary for courts to be guided by constitutional principles.
"Where the law is silent, it is the Constitution that must guide us. Its promise of dignity, liberty, and equality does not change with technology, and every new question must be answered in that light," the CJI said.
He expressed confidence that the Delhi High Court would be able to navigate the said emerging challenges while remaining mindful of the rights and dignity of individuals.
"Holding firmly to that promise, the Delhi High Court can meet the unknown with an open mind, with a changing world, without ever losing sight of the person it exists to protect," he said.
Supreme Court Judge Justice Vikram Nath's Address
Supreme Court Judge, Justice Vikram Nath, who also addressed the gathering, praised the Delhi High Court for its contribution to the development of law and its institutional growth over the past six decades.
In a lighter vein, Justice Nath remarked that the Delhi High Court's judges sometimes appear to be "more powerful than judges of the Supreme Court".
"There is a certain aura about the judges of this court, a presence that naturally commands respect and authority. I have noticed that even when they come to the Supreme Court, they carry that same confidence and dignity with them," he said.
He attributed this to the experience of deciding matters of considerable importance in the national capital.
Justice Nath also praised the Delhi High Court Bar, stating that it has produced some of the finest advocates in the country and that the standard of advocacy before the court is exceptionally high.
"A well-prepared advocate can sometimes make even a judge reconsider an opinion, and that is something I have always appreciated about our profession," he said.
The function was also attended by other Supreme Court judges, sitting High Court judges as well as former judges.