'Liberty of suspect principle links India-Lanka judiciaries'

Sri Lankan Chief Justice Padman Surasena, who was on a three-day official visit to India, spoke to HT on a wide range of issues, including the shared constitutional traditions of India and Sri Lanka, the need to revive judicial engagement among South Asian countries, the adoption of artificial intelligence and mediation in courts, and the challenges of protecting liberty and access to justice in modern constitutional democracies.

- Utkarsh Anand

Edited excerpts:Both India and Sri Lanka draw from deep common law traditions layered with rich local jurisprudence. From your interactions here, what aspects of the Indian judicial system resonate most closely with Sri Lanka's own legal architecture?

This is a difficult question to answer because India's and Sri Lanka's legal systems are very much alike. Sometimes the way we do things is different, but at the end of our discussions, we came to the conclusion that both countries are on the same page. The fundamental principle that connects the judiciary of the two countries would be the liberty of the suspect. Both countries believe in this very deeply. All practices, procedures and substantive laws, and access to justice, are centred around this concept. The law is not for lawyers or judges; it is for the people. Judges must interpret and apply the law for the betterment of the people. Between two countries with a common legal tradition, it is the people who must come together and develop practices to suit their needs.

You spent time at the National Judicial Academy engaging with Indian judges. What stood out for you?

It was an exchange of ideas where the legal systems of Sri Lanka and India were discussed. It became very successful. We had several Chief Justices and former Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and High Courts. It was a wonderful place for sharing views, challenges the two judicial systems and the way forward. It was an exchange of ideas and a meaningful one.