Literature and Law: Bridging Compassion and Context

Former Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud, underscores the vital role of literature in humanizing the law during the Vidhi Utsav 2025 event. He emphasizes literature's ability to offer context, compassion, and critical insights, particularly in understanding societal issues like disability rights.

In a compelling address at the Vidhi Utsav 2025, former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud highlighted the indispensable role of literature in humanizing legal edicts. He pointed out that literature can fill the voids left by legal texts, offering depth and compassion that purely statutory language may lack.

Chandrachud underscored that the judiciary cannot operate in isolation from societal dynamics, emphasizing the need for legal frameworks to evolve in response to changing social realities. He advocated for the consideration of granular data from grassroots levels to ensure the law remains relevant.

Illustrating the transformative impact of literature on legal reforms, Chandrachud cited the evolution of disability rights in India. He noted the shift from a medical model of disability to a societal understanding as evidenced by the 2016 Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, a change driven largely by critical engagement with literature.