A very large number of case are pending for disposal in all courts of law
27 Oct, 2013In our country, there are 3 distinct entities - Legislatures, Executive, and Judiciary. State legislatures and central parliament make laws and regulations under the same.
The whole country feels disgusted, billions are lost, precious lives are lost & extinguished-many a times, as pending legal cases are not disposed of in a reasonable time frame. A very, very large number of case are pending for disposal in all courts of law, whether in A purely -judicial domain, or in administrative quasi judicial domain. Possibly cases before independence are waiting to be disposed of in our courts. If we analyse the situation, it emerges that besides many small issues, the most important & crucial factor for long delay in disposal of cases is absence of a time limit in our various laws & acts.
If our legislatures put a time limit for decision of a legal case in various courts while enacting a law/act, then the whole paradigm will change, and our courts will be legally bound to dispose of pending cases in the time limit-provided in the law/act. Steps needed to translate this time limit should also be initiated. It is beyond any comprehension, as to why our country's legislatures have failed to discharge this easily doable thing. In fact egalitarian spirit of our constitution mandates such a doable thing.
Our country is now on the brink of a big change-2013 election in 5-states and 2014 General elections to the lok sabha are around the corner. All democratic political parties are inviting suggestions from us, the citizens, to frame their election manifesto.
Let us ponder on this easily us ponder on this easily doable suggestion, and endeavour to get this suggestion included in the election manifestos of all parties, in the 5 states which are going to elect new state legislatures by December 2013 & new Lok Sabha election in 2014.
S.C.BARDHAN
IAS (Retd)