States » EastPosted at: Sep 27 2026 1:02PM


Law instrument of social change and good governance: Orissa High Court Judge

Bhubaneswar, Sep 27 (UNI) Law has played a key role in transforming Indian society by addressing social evils, protecting rights and strengthening governance, Orissa High Court Judge Justice Sashikanta Mishra said.
“Law operates as an engine of change. When the law acts, society follows,” Justice Mishra said while delivering a lecture on ‘Law as an Instrument of Social Change and Good Governance’ at SOA Deemed to be University here on Saturday.
Speaking at the SOA lecture series, he cited the abolition of untouchability under Article 17 of the Constitution as a major example of how law can dismantle entrenched social barriers. Judicial interventions over the years had also brought significant changes in areas ranging from road safety to public health, he said.
Referring to mandatory helmets for two-wheeler riders and seat belts in cars, Justice Mishra said such legal measures had changed public behaviour. Similarly, the ban on smoking in public places had been a significant intervention, he said.
He also highlighted the Right to Information Act, legal recognition of the third gender and reservation policies aimed at bringing disadvantaged sections into the mainstream.
Justice Mishra said laws had also helped combat social practices such as dowry, sati and child marriage, while widow remarriage had been legally recognised. Describing Article 21, which guarantees the right to life, as the “soul of the Constitution”, he also referred to the Supreme Court’s 1997 Vishaka judgment, which laid down legally binding guidelines against sexual harassment at the workplace.
On good governance, he said it involved adherence to law, accountability, transparency and people’s participation in the democratic process. Strong anti-corruption measures, including the Prevention of Corruption Act, were also essential, he said.
Justice Mishra said the judiciary played an important role in ensuring good governance by directing authorities to act on grievances brought before courts.
Addressing agriculture students, he urged them to understand the realities of farming and keep an open mind, noting that a large section of India’s population depended on agriculture for livelihood.
The lecture was presided over by SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda. Prof. S.A.K. Azad, Dean, SOA National Institute of Law, introduced the speaker, while Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare), proposed the vote of thanks.
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