Judicial leadership suffers when we pretend judges are perfect: CJI Surya Kant

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has said that judicial leadership does not suffer because Judges are imperfect, but it is adversely impacted when judges pretend that they are not imperfect.

The CJI also called for a radical shift in how judicial leadership is perceived, advocating for the creation of a ‘Commonwealth Apex Body’ to integrate judicial education, the Bar, and the bench across the member nations.

Delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 11th biennial meeting of the Commonwealth Judicial Educators (CJEs) here, Justice Surya Kant said that judges, like judicial institutions, remain capable of growth, correction, and improvement.

The role of judges demands not only “mastery of precedent” but also the “agility to interpret the law” in ways that serve justice in the present time, he said.

Across history, the most respected judicial leaders did not project flawlessness or perfection; instead, the best leaders were those who remained conscious of the limits of their own knowledge, alert to the possibility of error, and open to learning, the CJI said.

“Humility, in that sense, has never been a personal virtue alone; it has been a professional safeguard. And I believe this important tool must be taught to every judicial officer, without exception,” he said.

On the event’s theme, ‘Educating for Judicial Leadership’, Justice Surya Kant called it “timely” as for too long the prevailing view was that judges were finished products; figures that emerged from appointment; already complete, already formed and already perfected.

“In my opinion, while that view flatters the institution, it does not serve it. Judicial leadership does not suffer because judges are imperfect; it suffers when we pretend they are not,” the CJI said.

He also said that for educating judicial leadership, a “more honest premise” needed acceptance – judges, like the institutions they lead, remain capable of growth, correction, and improvement.

“This is where, I believe, the Commonwealth Judicial Educators step in. CJEs are the quiet architects behind transformative journeys.

“Across our vast community of nations – spanning continents, cultures and legal traditions – the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute (CJEI) guides judges to become more than mere interpreters of law, moulds them into wise custodians of justice, equipped to navigate the moral and technical challenges of a world-order in flux,” he said.

The Chief Justice added that law is a living, breathing entity that evolves with the world around it, and that the understanding of judges is tested when society changes, new challenges emerge, and complex questions arise.

“In such a dynamic landscape, our role as judges demands not only mastery of precedent but also the agility to interpret the law in ways that serve justice in our times.

“And when we learn from each other, we ensure that our decisions are not only informed by the law, but also the collective wisdom of the global judiciary. Mutual learning is, thus, the lifeblood of judicial growth,” the CJI said.

He appreciated the CJEI for linking judicial educators, encouraging peer learning, and enabling jurisdictions to learn from one another without erasing their distinct contexts.