New Delhi, Aug. 6 -- Supreme Court judge Justice Vikram Nath on Thursday said public institutions must remain open to questioning, noting that people today are more aware of their rights and the institutions that govern them.

He said that if institutions expect citizens to respect them, then they also must equally be willing to be accountable for the power entrusted to them.

Justice Nath said questioning institutions should be viewed as a sign of their strength rather than a threat, while emphasising that justice, fairness and transparency must be experienced by citizens and should not remain confined to judgments, speeches or statutes.

"We are living through unprecedented times. People today are far more aware of their rights and of t...