Supreme Court Justice stresses dissent as democratic duty at law school convocation

At a convocation in New Delhi, Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan highlighted the importance of dissent as a core democratic principle. He asserted that the right to question government actions is an essential expression of citizenship, not an act of rebellion. The judge called for universities to be the first spaces where free thinking and challenging ideas are encouraged.

Referring to the Indian Constitution and Justice O Chinnappa Reddy’s 1986 Bijoe Emmanuel judgment, he warned that labeling dissent as a threat undermines tolerance. Bhuyan stressed that a democracy’s maturity is shown by its treatment of difficult or unpopular views. He concluded that genuine liberty requires space for disagreement and robust public debate.