New Delhi, April 14 -- Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai on Tuesday stressed that development in India cannot be considered sustainable unless it is rooted in substantive equality, cautioning that economic progress without social justice risks deepening existing inequalities.

Delivering the inaugural Ambedkar Memorial Lecture at NALSAR University of Law on the occasion of Dr B R Ambedkar's 135th birth anniversary, he called for a constitutional approach that integrates environmental sustainability with inclusive growth.

Speaking on the theme 'Sustainable Development and Substantive Equality: A Constitutional Dialogue,' Justice (retd) Gavai highlighted that while development is often measured through infrastructure and growth,...