When court decisions in heinous crimes like rape come after a generation has passed, the common man feels that the judicial process lacks sensitivity, President Droupadi Murmu said on Sunday. She also lamented that, in some cases, people continue to roam around fearlessly and freely even after committing crimes.
“It is a sad aspect of our social life that, in some cases, 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,” Murmu said while addressing the valedictory session of the two-day National Conference of District Judiciary, organised by the Supreme Court in New Delhi.
She said the challenges before the Indian judiciary require coordinated efforts by all stakeholders to resolve them. She also called upon government and police administrations to work together to find solutions to issues related to evidence and witnesses.
Murmu noted that the poor people from villages are afraid to go to court, and that they become participants in the justice process of the court only under great compulsion.
“Often they tolerate injustice silently because they feel that fighting for justice can make their lives more miserable. For them, going away from the village to the court even once becomes a cause of great mental and financial pressure. In such a situation, 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,” the President said in her address.
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Noting that the children of women who are in prison have their entire lives lying ahead, Murmu opined that the priority should be given to assess and improve what is being done for their health and education. She also stated that juvenile delinquents are also in the early stages of their lives.
“Taking measures to improve their thinking and mental health, providing them with useful skills for living, and providing them free legal aid should also be our priority,” Murmu said.
The feeling of faith and reverence towards justice has been a part of our tradition, the President said as she pointed out that people consider every judge in the country as God.
“Every judge and judicial officer of our country has the moral responsibility to respect dharma, truth and justice. At the district level, this moral responsibility is the lighthouse of the judiciary. The district-level courts determine the image of the judiciary in the minds of crores of citizens. Therefore, providing justice to the people through the district courts with sensitivity and promptness and at a low cost is the basis of the success of our judiciary,” she said.
