The Supreme Court on Thursday inaugurated the National Judicial Museum and Archive at its premises.

The museum, which has been set up in the vacant space where the Old Judges' Library used to function, was inaugurated by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud with other Supreme Court judges also in attendance.

Glimpses of the new facility

Notably, the Executive Committees of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) boycotted the event.

The SCBA had earlier passed a resolution opposing the museum and had instead proposed setting up a new cafe and library, as the present cafeteria is inadequate to cater to the needs of the members of the Bar.

See more pictures of the facility

Speaking on the occasion, CJI Chandrachud said:

"This (new museum facility) reflects really the ethos of the Supreme Court including the importance of the Supreme Court in the life of our nation. I would refer this journey to allow this museum to become an interactive space for the younger generation. You want to have younger chidren from schools and colleges, citizens who are not necessarily lawyers and judges to come here and breath the air which we breath everyday in the Court to bring a live experience to them of the importance of the rule of law and the work which all of us as judges and lawyers do. And it's not judge-centric because it has segments that we saw on the Constitutional Assembly, those who framed the Constitution. ... the members of the Bar who really contributed with their fearless advocacy to making the Court what it is today. And I'm sure that we'll be able to get more and more people here. I request all the members of the Bar of to come and see the museum and immediately I hope in the next week my successor will also open up the space for the younger generation that they can breath the life of justice that we breathe everyday."

See more pictures of the Museum