New Delhi: Expressing anguish over the plight of women victims of crime and delay in rape case trials, President Droupadi Murmu said on Sunday that it is a sad aspect of our social life that people with resources continue to roam around fearlessly and freely even after committing crimes.
Those who suffer from their crimes live in fear as if those poor people have committed some crime and women victims suffer the worst in such cases because even society leaves them alone to deal with the issue, she said.
Addressing the valedictory ceremony of the two-day National Conference of the District Judiciary, the President said that when court decisions in a heinous crime like rape come after a generation has passed, the common man feels that the judicial process lacks sensitivity.
“To have hope and faith in the justice delivery system has been a part of our tradition. A famous Hindu poet Munshi Premchand’s story Panch Parmeshwar is available in almost all Indian languages including English…What Munshi Premchand wants to convey in this story is that the one responsible for dispensing justice must ensure impartiality,” President Murmu said.
“All judicial officers in our country have the paramount duty to dispense justice with truth and righteousness,” she added.
Many people cannot even imagine the pain that poor people experience due to the culture of adjournment. Every possible measure should be taken to change this situation, she said.
President Murmu asked the audience that they must have heard about “white coat” syndrome, where the patient’s blood pressure increases in the presence of doctors.
“The same is the plight of a common man when he goes to the courts. He goes to the court with a hope of seeking justice but he is only given further dates. Therefore, it wouldn’t be wrong to term it as ‘blackcoat syndrome’,” she said.
The pendency of cases and backlogs is a big challenge faced by the judiciary and this issue should be given priority, the President said.
The President praised the Indian legal system and said the Supreme Court has played a seminal role in protecting the justice system of the world’s biggest democracy.
The conference was organised by the Supreme Court to mark the 75th year of its establishment and was attended by 800 judges across India. The conference was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.
During the event, the President unveiled the new flag and insignia of the Supreme Court to mark its 75th year.
President Murmu stated: “In the 75 years of the Supreme Court establishment, it has taken the country’s jurisprudence to the highest pedestal. I am thankful for everyone’s contribution, from the past to the present.”
“It is my pleasure to unveil the flag and the insignia marking the 75 years of the Supreme Court establishment. The insignia of the Supreme Court has been inscribed with Sanskriti Shloka from the Hindu epic Mahabharat and means ‘Where there is Dharma, there is victory’,” she said.
President Murmu also expressed appreciation for the Supreme Court organising Lok Adalats.
She added, “Conferences like this should be organised every two to three months considering the pendency of cases we have.
The President appreciated that one session of the Conference was dedicated to discussing the issue of case management.
On the selection of women in the judiciary, President Murmu said, “I am very happy to know that the selection of women as judicial officers has increased. In many States, the selection of women judicial officers is more than 50 per cent.”
The President said that the judiciary is also facing various challenges. The issues concerning evidence and witnesses can be addressed by courts, the government and police together, President suggested.
President Murmu said that her attention was diverted towards the children of convicted mothers and juveniles. They have a whole life ahead. What are we doing for their well-being? Juveniles are also the ones who have just begun their lives.”
President Murmu suggested that we should prioritize giving legal aid to juveniles.
President Murmu said that she has seen people from villages are afraid of going to the courts.
The poor only become a part of the justice system when their situation compels them. He easily accepts injustice because he feels that seeking justice would make his life more painful.
For a poor man to travel to the court from the village itself becomes mental and physical torture. In such conditions, the tradition of allotting dates after dates, that is the culture of adjournments, is so painful for a poor person. Many cannot even imagine the pain they go through. Every step should be taken to improve this situation, she added.
President Murmu told the audience that people in the village consider courts and judges as Gods because they dispense justice.
Speaking about the delays in Court, the president said, “There is a saying-Mills of the god grinds slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine. But how slow? 32 years? 20 years? If someone will get justice after 32 years, there would hardly be any happiness left in that person.”
Lauding the new laws, President Murmu said, that she is glad that Section 479 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita would be applied retrospectively.
As per Section 479 BNSS, under trials can be released on bail if they have undergone detention for a period extending up to one-half of the maximum period of imprisonment specified for that offence under that law.
UNI
