New Delhi, Nov 26: The Bar occupies an indispensable place in fortifying the rule of law and upholding the sanctity of the Constitution, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said on Wednesday while also stressing its importance in providing legal aid to the vulnerable and the marginalised.

Addressing a gathering at a Constitution Day function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association, the CJI said the judiciary has repeatedly acknowledged the invaluable role of the Bar in safeguarding its virtues.

“When we celebrate the pivotal moment when the people of India gifted unto themselves their most fundamental covenant, I stand before you and must emphasise that the Bar occupies an indispensable place in fortifying the rule of law and upholding the sanctity of our Constitution…

“I do not hesitate in saying that if the courts are regarded as the sentinel of the Constitution, then the members of the Bar are the torchbearers who illuminate our path. They help us discharge our solemn duty with clarity and conviction,” Justice Kant said.

He said he often speaks about the invisible victims of the judicial system and it is his sincere belief that only the Bar can rescue them from such agony.

“Your perspectives matter profoundly, and the seriousness with which you engage in your craft directly influences the transformation of our constitutional future.

“In addition to assisting us in constitutional matters, it is equally vital that the Bar collectively takes purposeful strides towards exposing the letter and spirit of our fundamental document. This includes providing legal aid to those who are vulnerable or living at the margins of society, as well as aligning oneself with the vision embedded in the Directive Principles of State Policy,” he said.

According to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, it is the beauty of the Constitution that the three wings, the judiciary, the executive and the legislature, are independent of each other and at the same time there is internal check and balance.

“If the executive does something which is in conflict with the Constitution, the judiciary has supremacy. But eventually no organ is supreme or sovereign and it is only the Constitution which is supreme and sovereign.

“We must also remind ourselves that whenever either the legislature for the executive deviated from the path of constitutional morality or constitutional ethos the Judiciary as an institution has stepped in and judiciary has played a very major role in ensuring that the Constitution functions as intended as designed and as understood by the framing fathers of the Constitution,” Mehta said.

SCBA president and senior advocate Vikas Singh said the law can be meaningful and accessible to all only if three factors of the legal system are taken care of – law making, justice delivery and access to the system of justice delivery to every common person.

He raised the issue of black money in elections and said people with criminal backgrounds are coming to Parliament.

“That is an area we definitely need to introspect and see what best can be done to ensure that the right people get elected to Parliament,” Singh said.

The SCBA president said the infrastructure of lower courts is appalling and also highlighted issue of training of judges.

November 26 is observed as Constitution Day since 2015 to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India by the Constituent Assembly in 1949. The day was earlier observed as Law Day.

New Delhi, Nov 26: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a Faridabad resident for allegedly harbouring Umar Un Nabi immediately before the Delhi car bomb blast.

Soyab, a resident of Dhauj in Faridabad (Haryana), is the seventh accused to be arrested in the case.

NIA investigations have revealed that he provided logistical support to Umar ahead of the 10 November suicide car bombing, which killed several people and injured many others outside the Red Fort, said the NIA, in a statement.

Before this arrest, the NIA had already taken six key aides of Umar into custody during the course of the investigation under case RC-21/2025/NIA/DLI.

The agency is continuing to pursue various leads linked to the suicide attack and has been conducting multi-state searches in coordination with local police to identify and track others involved in the conspiracy.
Efforts to uncover the entire network behind the deadly attack are ongoing.

New Delhi, Nov 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the framers of the Constitution and said that their vision will continue to drive India towards the resolution of a ‘Viksit Bharat’.

Also known as Samvidhan Divas, Constitution Day, is celebrated every year on November 26 and commemorates the Constituent Assembly’s adoption of the Constitution, which came into effect on January 26, 1950. The observance was officially declared in 2015 to honour the principles of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity enshrined in the Constitution.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “On Constitution Day, we pay tribute to the framers of our Constitution. Their vision and foresight continue to motivate us in our pursuit of building a Viksit Bharat.”

“Our Constitution gives utmost importance to human dignity, equality and liberty. While it empowers us with rights, it also reminds us of our duties as citizens, which we should always try to fulfil. These duties are the foundation of a strong democracy,” he added.

The Prime Minister also called on the countrymen to reiterate the commitment to strengthening Constitutional values through their actions.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also extended his greetings on the occasion, paying tribute to the architects of the Constitution, including Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

“On this ‘Constitution Day’, I pay homage to Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Ji, Dr Rajendra Prasad Ji, along with all the great members of the Constituent Assembly, and extend my heartfelt greetings to the fellow citizens on this day,” Shah posted on X.

“The Constitution of India, the world’s largest democracy, provides every citizen with equal opportunities, a life of dignity, national duties, and rights, thereby paving the way for strong nation-building,” he added.

Shah also acknowledged the Prime Minister’s initiative to commemorate the Constitution Day and said that he has “worked to make the citizens more aware of democratic values”.

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda took to his X handle and extended congratulations to the countrymen on the Constitution, “which provides justice, truth, and freedom, and equality”.

“Our Constitution, crafted by Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Ji, is the soul of India and the strength of its democracy, which not only grants equal rights to every citizen but also protects those rights and provides them the opportunity to progress,” he said.

“On this sacred occasion of Constitution Day, let us resolve to uphold the dignity of the Constitution, adhere to its core spirit, and build a strong, prosperous, and self-reliant India,” Nadda added.