CJI’s call to expedite justice

GUWAHATI, April 5 – Extending the number of law courts in the country and improving the infrastructure are essential for delivering better justice to the Indian citizen. At present, while the basic merits of the existing judicial system may not be questioned, it is also necessary that steps were taken to reduce delay in the deliverance of justice. Chief Justice of India, Justice KG Balakrishnan mentioned this while delivering his lecture as the chief guest in the inaugural session of the diamond jubilee celebration of Gauhati High Court today.The Chief Justice remarked that it was a happy occasion for him to be present in the 60th year of the Gauhati High Court, which served people of a strategically important part of the country. In this connection he said that the infrastructure of the court in all the states under its jurisdiction should also improve in due course. Underlining a few aspects related to the efficiency of the judicial system, he stated that the better the justice delivery system the more the chances of economic uplift. A good system can even help the economy of a country by boosting investor confidence, he said alluding to a World Bank observation.Speaking on the occasion, Supreme Court Judge, Justice HK Sema spoke briefly on a special feature of the Gauhati High Court and the importance of customary laws in the region it served. While acknowledging that some of the customary laws are ancient in origin, he however mentioned that there was a need to examine some of those. Those laws especially needed critical attention, which did not serve the larger public interest, he asserted. He also exhorted the youth of the region to play a larger role in nation building for it was they that would carry on the knowledge and learning towards a better future. Another Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice PP Naolekar was of the view that the Gauhati High Court was well positioned to play a role in enriching the life of anyone from the bar or the bench. He said that his tenure in the court gave him a greater understanding about subjects like customary law among other things.Recalling his association with the Gauhati High Court, Justice BS Reddy of the Supreme Court described it as an emotionally and intellectually fulfilling experience. He believed that the Court has stood like a rock in defending the rights and liberties of the people. The president of the Gauhati High Court Bar Association Niloy Dutta in a brief but impressive speech stated that the High Court has carried the torch of justice and liberty for a long period and thus served the region well. He also mentioned that the Court has been seeking to serve people from a diverse background and among others have acted as a defender of human rights and encouraged nation-building efforts. Earlier in his welcome address, the convenor of the Diamond Jubilee celebration A H Saikia, mentioned the significance of the occasion, and stated the immense service rendered by the Court to the people of the region. He noted that it was the only one in the country to have its jurisdiction over seven states.By A Staff Reporter The Assam Tribune