The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Speedy justice

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Wednesday, Sep 05, 2007
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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Speedy justice

This refers to the Supreme Court’s exhortation to authorities to ensure speedy disposal of cases if the people’s faith in the judiciary has to remain. While the observation came in the context of a civil appeal, I am sure there are thousands of Miss Flites visiting our courts everyday. (Miss Flite is a character in Charles Dickens’ Bleak House, who wasted a lifetime waiting for the final settlement of the Jarndyce & Jarndyce case).

To reduce the accumulation of cases, adjournments should be limited; the number of cases to be disposed of by each presiding officer fixed; the disposal rate of cases monitored; and the number of fast track courts and judges increased. Cases involving senior citizens pending for long should be disposed of on a priority basis.

C.P. Srinivasan,

Edina, Minnesota

* * *

The government should formulate rules for filing suits and regulate appeals. Appeals should not be allowed as a matter of routine, particularly in cases where the decisions cannot be otherwise. The presiding officers should set a time schedule for every case and ensure that it is not exceeded. Where cooperation from litigants is not forthcoming, judges should dismiss the cases without giving extended time.

G. Ramachandran,

Thiruvananthapuram

* * *

It is shocking to learn that a case has been pending for 50 years in our courts. There are three major reasons for the delay in disposing of cases: the number of judges is disproportionately low compared to the volume of cases; apart from weekends, the courts enjoy too many holidays; and too many adjournments are granted.

Sanjana Sukumar,

Tiruchi

* * *

It is almost impossible to take anybody or anything to court today because the justice system is meanderingly slow. Our leaders always say the law will take its own course. But they know full well that the law can be manoeuvred to take a never-ending course. And in instances where the court reaches out to dispense justice quickly, it is accused of judicial activism.

Col C.V. Venugopalan (retd.),

Palakkad

* * *

The Supreme Court is the highest court of the land with supervisory control over all the subordinate courts. It is therefore only the apex court that should frame rules for speedy disposal of cases. It can start by cutting down the number of holidays and extending working hours.

K.R. Annaamalai,

Sathyamangalam

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