The saffron party's model state—Gujarat—has been ranked eighth among large Indian states in its capacity to deliver justice.
India Justice Report 2019, a first of its kind report prepared by Tata Trusts in collaboration with Centre for Social Justice, Common Cause, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, DAKSH, TISS-Prayas and Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, evaluated small and large states on the basis of infrastructure and man power in police, judiciary, prisons and legal aid.
Maharashtra topped the list of 18 states which were studied, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The report covers the period between 2016 and 2017 and took 18 months to prepare, a representative of the Tata Trusts told THE WEEK. She said they would soon come out with the report for 2018-19. Gujarat-specific findings were released at a function at the Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar on Saturday.
Gujarat has ranked 12th in police, ninth in prisons, seventh in judiciary and sixth in legal aid. Maharashtra, which topped overall, is fourth in police, second in prisons, fourth in judiciary and fifth in legal aid.
Kerala is thirteenth in police, first in prisons, fifth in judiciary and first in legal aid.
The 146-page report has observed that as far as police is concerned, Gujarat's sanctioned strength is one of the lowest in India in proportion to its population. According to the report, while the national average is 151 for one lakh people, in Gujarat it is 120.
As the way forward, quoting Bureau of Police Research and Development, it has been suggested that there should be reservation among police officers in Gujarat to the tune of 7 per cent for SCs, 15 per cent for STs and 27 per cent for the OBCs.
The study, however, has noted that vacancies have reduced in the last couple of years. A representative of the Tata Trusts observed that while Gujarat will take 34 years to get to 33 per cent women in the police force, there are other states that would take 200 years.
It has also been noted that Lok Adalats are not functioning to the optimum level in the state.
Gagan Sethi of Centre for Social Justice said the report is all about governance and that justice is a pillar crying for investment.
Mohit Shah, retired chief justice of Mumbai High Court, who was present at the release of the findings, said their generation did not usher in changes that were required. He pointed out that the system requires lot of improvement.
Emphasising on quick delivery of justice, he cited examples of how it can be done. He cited the example of a judge in a court in Maharashtra, who has arranged for vocational training for litigants when they arrive for the case.
