India, Sept. 6 -- Supreme Court judge Justice BV Nagarathna on Saturday underscored that the rule of law is the essence of democracy, reminding that it is the duty of courts to enforce it "without fear or favour, affection or ill will." She emphasised that India's independent judiciary has been the cornerstone in preserving this principle.

Justice Nagarathna, who is in line to become the country's first woman Chief Justice of India in 2027, was delivering the convocation address at the National Law University, Delhi, where she urged graduating law students to embrace integrity, empathy and constitutional values as guiding principles of their careers.

Addressing the graduating class, Justice Nagarathna described the Constitution not as a...