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Backlog in lower courts
This refers to the article ‘Delays in lower courts mess up judicial
system’ (Oct 23). The Supreme Court has improved its efficiency
by resorting to technology. As for the lower courts, most delays
there are on account of wrongful conduct of the advocates, who
resort to various legal provisions in an attempt to prolong
cases. Since the judges are overburdened, they are unable to
do much about these delaying tactics.
The litigants are highly ignorant of legalities and hence the
lower courts continue to have huge backlogs. In such a system,
only the financially strong parties are able to use the judicial
machinery to get relatively fast legal redressal. With the passage
of time, factors like more educated litigants, greater number
of trained judges, application of information technology, reform
in general conduct due to the application of law of torts for
everybody etc will improve disposal in lower courts. Judicial
pronouncements cannot and should not be subject to evaluation
and correction through parameters like quantum of disposal,
targets, fast-track and summary trials. Otherwise the quality
of decisions will add to the burden of superior courts by way
of revisions, appeals etc.
— Ram Kishan, on e-mail
RSS’ wisdom
Mr Sudarshan of the RSS should meditate a bit deeper on the
woes that afflict the nation’s economy if he wishes to offer
directions on the subject. Undoubtedly rural development should
be given top priority, as should roads, water, health, education
etc. But Mr Sudarshan seems to lack common sense. It’s not that
successive governments have neglected rural development. There
are schemes galore which are awash with funds. It’s just that
most of the money has gone down the drains of corruption. Indeed,
social activism in Rajasthan has shown that the ‘sarpanches’
and the district administration has siphoned off development
money. No local administration conducts an honest public audit
of the schemes. No state government informs the locals about
schemes undertaken. There is a new found enthusiasm for e-governance
in every state, though no state has said it plans to put data
out in the public domain.
The RSS may have no influence beyond the BJP, but in this matter
the BJP-ruled states are no different. The party that prides
itself on being patriotic and honest is doing a good job of
deceiving itself. The NDA talks about zero tolerance (to corruption),
while curbing the Chief Vigilance Commission’s reach. Mr Sudarshan
would do better by visiting the site of Transparency International,
and then make public his feelings on India’s performance. He
may find faults with the western development model, but can
he find fault with its political, social and economic institutions
that are far more honest than our creations? No economic model
can survive our brand of misgovernance.
— K Yogi, on e-mail
Costly errors
In this war against terror, the allies should highlight the
difference between the US and the Taliban — the Taliban does
wrong by design and the US does wrong by error! Of course, the
goal must be the isolation, weakening and elimination of the
Taliban. But the US too must bomb either accurately or not at
all. The Taliban and its associates are cunning enough to exploit
every error that the allies make to strengthen support for themselves.
The US must ensure that collateral damage doesn’t damage the
cause itself.
— Parshva Shah, on e-mail
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