Failure of the justice delivery system to impart justice expeditiously is one of the greatest challenges the nation faces, said Punjab Minister Madan Mohan Mittal on Sunday, while speaking at the Conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of the High Courts. Parliamentary Affairs and Industries and Commerce Minister Mittal, representing Punjab in the National Conference, expressed the State Government’s support to the proposal to set up an All India Judicial service.
“One great challenge that stares us in the face is the failure of justice delivery system to deliver justice expeditiously which has brought about a sense of frustration amongst the litigants who want unpolluted, expeditious and un-expensive justice,” Mittal said. He cautioned that in the absence of such a system, instead of taking recourse to law, common man may be tempted to take law in his own hands, by resorting to extra judicial means of securing justice which could prove to be extremely dangerous.
“This is what the judicial system must guard against so that people do not take recourse of extra judicial methods to settle scores and seek redress of their grievances. If this tendency proliferates, it would be a sad day to constitutional democracy to which we are all wedded,” he said. We should all resolve to remedy these ills to preserve people's faith in the 'Rule of law', he said. Mittal also expressed the need to strengthen the Juvenile Justice System and mentioned steps taken by Punjab Government. He said that Punjab has notified two gram nyayalayas and if they are successful, 13 more could be set up. He also mentioned the courts established in Punjab and measures taken by the State Government to ensure justice to people.