SC has pursued ‘cherished goal’ of gender justice, says Kovind

NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday hailed the efforts of the Indian judiciary in pursuing the “cherished goal of gender justice” and said that the Supreme Court has always been “pro-active and progressive”.

Speaking at the International Judicial Conference 2020 ‘Judiciary and the Changing World’, Kovind said the apex court has led “progressive social transformation” and referred to the two decades old Vishaka guidelines for preventing sexual harassment of women at workplace and the recent direction that women officers in the Army be granted permanent commission and command postings.

“In pursuing the cherished goal of gender justice, to mention one example, the Supreme Court of India has always been proactive and progressive,” he said.

“From issuing guidelines on preventing sexual harassment in the workplace two decades ago to providing directives for granting equal status to women in the Army this month, the Supreme Court of India has led progressive social transformation,” he said.

The President expressed happiness that SC judgments are being made available in nine vernacular languages to make them accessible to the common people. “The SC deserves admiration for carrying out radical reforms that made justice more accessible to the people. Judgments passed by this court have strengthened legal and constitutional framework of the country,” he said.