The phone has not stopped ringing at the residence of Justice K G Balakrishnan all day. The media has been lining up at his doorsteps to get a quick byte from the Chief Justice of India designate.
The journey from the Kerala Bar Council to the Supreme Court has been a long, yet memorable for Justice Balakrishnan.
Justice Balakrishnan, the first Dalit to be appointed chief justice of the India, gives the credit of his success to his parents.
"My parents gave importance to education. This is why I have been able to come up to this level. Though they were others who helped me on my journey, yet had it not been for my parents' will, the story might have been different," he told rediff.com over telephone.
On being asked about his priorities after taking over from Justice Y K Sabharwal, Justice Balakrishnan said: "My main priority will be to dispose off the large number of cases that are pending in the court."
When asked about his most memorable judgment till date, Justice Balakrishnan recalls his ruling on the mid-day meal scheme late 2001. As part of a two-judge Supreme Court bench, he had observed that there was no point in framing schemes if the government was not going to ensure their implementation. The apex court asked the state governments to implement the mid-day meal scheme by providing every child with a minimum of 300 calories and 8-12 gm of protein each day for a minimum of 200 days per year. "It was a landmark verdict," he notes.
Justice Balakrishnan said proper police protection to witnesses would help them prevent from turning hostile.
"Even though I am happy, I am highly conscious of the heavy responsibility", Justice Balakrishnan said.
He said the court should stand by the side of the common man. However, this does not mean that it should be 'partial', he said adding the courts should hear the voice of the poor.
The Indian judiciary was highly reputed for its independence and impartiality, he said and hoped that he would get the full cooperation from the legal fraternity.
