Renowned former Chief Justice of Orissa High Court, S. Muralidhar, delivered a thought-provoking lecture in Chennai, raising concerns over the challenges faced by democracy and the rule of law. In his address, he highlighted the surge in persecution, escalating polarization based on race, caste, and religion, and the widening wealth gap that further marginalizes the underprivileged.
Muralidhar drew attention to the “democracy paradox” discussed in the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report, where leaders with authoritarian tendencies are elected through democratic processes, eroding democratic values and the rule of law.
Speaking about Plato’s insights, he emphasized how tyranny often begins with promising intentions and popularity before gradually undermining the state’s foundations. Muralidhar stressed the urgent need to reaffirm faith in humanity and uphold constitutional values such as equality, liberty, freedom of expression, dignity, and fraternity.
Focusing on criminal jurisprudence, he expressed concerns about the weaponization of law and the deprivation of fundamental rights. Muralidhar highlighted instances of wrongful detention, where individuals have suffered years of incarceration for crimes they did not commit, challenging the fundamental principle of “innocent until proven guilty.”
He urged the audience to be an informed public that stands against injustice and emphasized the importance of an independent judiciary at all levels to ensure fair and just proceedings.
The lecture, “Guilty Till Proved Innocent—Dark Areas of Criminal Jurisprudence,” illuminated the need to safeguard democratic values and protect the rights of all individuals in society.
