The Hindu : Front Page : Top priority for repealing POTA: Bhardwaj

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 25, 2004

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Front Page

Top priority for repealing POTA: Bhardwaj

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI, MAY 24. The Union Law Minister, H.R. Bhardwaj, said today that the Congress-led Government would give top priority to repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).

Interacting with journalists after taking charge, Mr. Bhardwaj said: "We had opposed POTA when the Bill was passed. Our stand is clear, we do not relish POTA. I will discuss the issue with the Home Minister very soon to get it repealed." Asked whether the Government would take into consideration the allegations that POTA had been misused against political opponents, he said: "I will give my opinion on POTA to the Home Ministry. If there is abuse it has to be redressed."

Mr. Bhardwaj said the inordinate delay in filling the posts of judges in the High Courts was a matter of concern and that he would give priority to finding out why this had happened. "I will investigate why vacancies of judges remain pending in the High Courts. Once the Chief Justice of a High Court has sent in his recommendations, there is no reason for holding them except in some stray cases."

He said he would discuss the issue with the next Chief Justice of India. "I will also convene a conference of the Chief Ministers, the Governors and the Chief Justices of High Courts to impress on them the need to address this issue and take immediate steps for filling the vacancies at the earliest."

Mr. Bhardwaj said he would soon announce a 20-point programme for judicial reform, which would be aimed at providing quick justice to litigants. Computerisation and modernisation of the judiciary would be continued with greater vigour and the independence of the judiciary would be maintained. On corruption in the subordinate judiciary, he said it was a matter of concern. The recent scandals in the judiciary did not speak of a happy situation. "I will speak to the Chief Justice of India as to how to improve the sagging image of the judiciary," he added.

Asked whether the new Government would implement the NDA Government's proposal to set up the National Judicial Commission for appointing High Court and Supreme Court judges, he said, "the NJC was a non-starter. The Bar opposed it, the judiciary opposed it. Why should the powers of the President and the CJI be curtailed? I will talk to the Bench and the Bar and decide on a harmonious process."

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