‘This institution should be opened up in a limited way’, CJI Ranjan Gogoi opens Supreme Court to public on Saturdays

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi yesterday inaugurated an initiative to open up the Supreme Court of India to the general public for guided tours on Saturdays..“I think this is an institution that should be opened up in a limited way,”, CJI Gogoi said in his brief address..Gogoi J said that this initiative is an experiment that he started and, in a lighter vein, sought approval from his brother and sister Judges for this project..“This decision was all mine… and I seek post facto approval from all my colleagues,”, said CJI Gogoi..As of now, the Court is open only to the members of the lawyers, litigants and media persons..Through this project, the Court premises will be open to the public for guided tours on Saturdays between 10 AM and 1 PM except on public holidays. The tours will be conducted for groups of 20 at a time, and the visitors can schedule their visit through the Court’s website..The visitors will be accompanied by a Court official on the tour and will be taken through the Court lawns, the Judges Library, the Supreme Court Museum, as well as the Chief Justice’s Courtroom among other things..CJI Gogoi also inaugurated a think tank, another experiment project which will be a body of eight to ten persons which will provide material for judges in their Judicial work..This think tank will work towards giving inputs for judicial reforms, legal education, and development of jurisprudence that the Supreme Court is building up. Ending his brief address during the inauguration, CJI Gogoi said,.“Both of these are experiments and let us see what the future holds.”.Read the press release below.