Zero corruption difficult in growing economy: CJI

Corruption cannot be ruled out in a growing economy, but, can be lessened if loopholes in the law are plugged, said the Chief Justice of India (CJI) SH Kapadia at the Independence Day celebrations at the Supreme Court. Bhadra Sinha reports.

Corruption cannot be ruled out in a growing economy, but, can be lessened if loopholes in the law are plugged, said the Chief Justice of India (CJI) SH Kapadia at the Independence Day celebrations at the Supreme Court.

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“In a growing economy, nobody can say that corruption will be zero. I do not agree with that,” the CJI said in his address to the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA). He, however, added it was imminent to amend old laws to minimise corruption.

“Corruption should be deprecated not only on moral ground, but, because it kills the economy,” Justice Kapadia said. Stating that the State did not have enough resources to correct economic imbalances, the CJI said foreign direct investment was the need of the hour.

“I am of the view that India should be the FDI destination. We do not want FIIs as they make the market volatile, but we need FDIs,” he said. For that, he advised his colleagues to deliver judgments that would generate resources including opportunities of employment.

He said judicial decisions could help attract foreign investors to a “brilliant English speaking population,” Justice Kapadia told the gathering. “English is the language of money,” he said.

He made no qualms in admitting that confrontation between the executive and judiciary was bound to take place, as people today approached courts demanding enforcement of their “socio-economic rights.”

Though Union Law Minister, Salman Khurshid, in his speech delivered prior to CJI’s downplayed the conflict, Justice Kapadia said judicial encroachment into the executive domain was bound to happen in matters related to enforcement of rights.

“Is it possible for the government to provide free food to every individual of this country? The answer is no as it does not have the resources. But if an individual, dying of hunger, comes to court, that person would get free food,” the CJI stated.