Milan/New Delhi, June 20, 2025 — Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai on Thursday underscored India’s constitutional journey towards delivering socio-economic justice, while cautioning against executive overreach in the form of “bulldozer justice”. Speaking at the esteemed Milan Court of Appeal during an international judicial exchange, CJI Gavai reflected on the transformative role of the Indian Constitution over the last 75 years in uplifting marginalized communities and safeguarding fundamental rights.
Addressing a gathering of Italy’s top judges, jurists, and legal scholars, CJI Gavai invoked a landmark judgment of the Supreme Court that curbed the indiscriminate use of bulldozers to demolish alleged illegal constructions — a practice increasingly criticised as punitive action without due process.
“The executive cannot become judge, jury and executioner all at once,” the Chief Justice firmly stated, according to a Times of India report. He emphasized that the rule of law must prevail over administrative expediency and that the judiciary remains the ultimate guardian against arbitrary state action.
Quoting from the Supreme Court’s order in the bulldozer demolition case, CJI Gavai highlighted that, “Construction of a house has an aspect of socio-economic rights.” He elaborated, “For an average citizen, construction of a house is often the culmination of years of hard work, dreams and aspirations. A house is not merely property; it embodies the collective hopes of a family or individual for stability, security and a future.”
Celebrating 75 Years of the Indian Constitution
Delivering the lecture titled ‘Role of Constitution in Delivering Socio-Economic Justice in a Country: Reflections from 75 Years of Indian Constitution’, CJI Gavai described India’s constitutional vision as a dynamic commitment to uplift the disadvantaged and bridge deep-rooted inequalities.
“As we look back on these 75 years, there is no doubt that the Indian Constitution has strived for change in the life of the common people. To summarise, several aspects of the Directive Principles were made enforceable by reading or legislating them as a facet of fundamental rights,” he said.
He pointed out that the success of affirmative action in India stands as a testament to the constitutional guarantee of substantive equality. Policies in education and public employment aimed at rectifying centuries of social discrimination against Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other socially and educationally backward classes have transformed the social fabric of modern India.
In a deeply personal note that drew applause from the Italian legal fraternity, CJI Gavai shared his own journey as the second Dalit to hold the country’s highest judicial office. “I stand before you today as a product of these constitutional ideals that aimed to democratise opportunity and dismantle the barriers of caste and exclusion,” he remarked.
A Global Message on the Rule of Law
CJI Gavai’s address comes at a time when India’s use of bulldozers in law enforcement has faced increasing scrutiny both at home and internationally. The Supreme Court’s interventions have reaffirmed that while maintaining urban law and order is necessary, demolitions cannot bypass procedural safeguards, infringing the right to shelter which is intertwined with the right to life and dignity.
Legal experts noted that the CJI’s remarks at an international forum underline the Indian judiciary’s continuing emphasis on balancing the powers of the state with the fundamental rights of citizens — a principle common to democratic constitutions worldwide.
As India marks 75 years of its Constitution, CJI Gavai’s speech was a reminder that socio-economic justice remains an unfinished but evolving goal. He concluded with a call for continued vigilance to ensure that constitutional ideals translate into real freedoms and opportunities for every citizen, especially the marginalised.