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tele-trial Kiran Bedi

Kiran, who holds a law degree, says she wanted to remain in public life after voluntary retirement from the Indian Police Service, and practising law was an option. However, for now, she has opted for a court set up in a studio. “It is not an attempt to be one up on the judiciary, but we all know how so many cases are pending in the courts. Even the judiciary has suggested alternative measures for arbitration.” Produced by Synergy Adlabs, Kiran’s court will take only those cases which are not subjudice.

“We won’t entertain criminal cases and both the parties should be willing to come to us. At the idea level, it is very much like the panchayat of yesteryear, where people had faith in an elderly gentleman to mediate in social issues. Over the years, communication has broken down in our society. Also we don’t have many role models around us.”

The producers assure us there won’t be any dramatic reconstruction of cases, as we generally see on news channels. “It should not be construed as a media trial, because both the parties should be willing before the process of mediation,” says Kiran. “I have been helping out people through my NGOs for years. Television will give it more visibility and reach.” Kiran expects mostly family problems and landlord-tenant disputes to come to her. “Nothing will be binding. There is no finality, and both the parties can take legal recourse if they are not satisfied with my decision.”

For a television audience, particularly for a general entertainment channel, things could get a tad boring if a case lingers for weeks. “Don’t you know I believe in swift justice,” quips the lady who once got Indira Gandhi’s car towed away because it was parked in a ‘no parking’ zone.

On a serious note, she agrees that though the power to change is inherent in the Civil Services, still it has become a job for people who want to maintain the status quo. In these circumstances, young officers could take her retirement as surrender. “It is a matter of perception. I had the option of sitting over or moving on. I opted for the latter.”

India’s first female IPS officer, Kiran Bedi started her career as a political science lecturer.

Kiran was also an Asian level lawn tennis champion. She says she played till she felt it was time to move on.

In 1994, she won the Magsaysay Award for prison reforms.

Besides two NGOs, Navjyoti and India Vision Foundation, Kiran has started a website saferindia.com where people can lodge complaints if the local police refuses to register them. The complaint is sent directly to the DGP of the area.

Kiran can’t cook. “I can only fry an egg.”

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