PRESIDENT Mrs. Droupadi Murmu’s suggestion in favour of a mechanism that would strengthen justice delivery system in the country is certainly worthy of serious consideration. Though she has left the idea to the wisdom of people concerned, the suggestion has the power of being a presidential desire. Hence its importance at a time when the overall role of the judiciary is under sort of a scrutiny by the nation, the reasons being delay in delivery of justice, huge pendency of cases at all judicial forums, and an unstated lack of understanding in the executive and the judiciary. It is obvious that these issues with their multiple dimensions must have weighed on President Mrs. Murmu’s mind when she suggested formation of an all-India Service to “select and nurture talent in judiciary.

 

The core thought of the President’s assertion on the Constitution Day focused on a citizen-centric system for justice. That the First Citizen of the country is duly concerned about this vital issue, is a matter of great happiness for the larger Indian society. There is reason, now, to believe that things would start moving in the right direction after taking the hint from the President. The issues related to Indian system of justice are too well-known and much-discussed in the national discourse for decades on end. Some short measures also have surfaced from time to time relieve different pressures on the judicial system. Those measures have helped to some extent in remoulding the justice delivery system. However, the overall quality of India’s top-to-bottom judicial system has remained below par, causing much trouble not just to the litigating public but also to the larger society. It must be noted candidly that there are reasons for the common people to lose faith in the judiciary. It is against this background that Chief Justice of India (CJI) Mr. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud has insisted that the Supreme Court is a people’s court and the common public must not be afraid of approaching it in times of need. It is time we look at the CJI’s assertion through a critical lens.

 

For, no matter the tall-talk around it, the common people really have strong reservations about the actual utilitarian value of any judicial forum including the SC. For, the reality is that the entire judicial process has become so expensive that an ordinary citizen just cannot put together resources to be able to approach the judiciary, let alone the apex court. So, when the CJI assures people that the Supreme Court is their court, the people may take really a long time to start considering the virtue in that assertion. That is where President Mrs. Murmu’s suggestion about an all-India service to select and nurture talent in lads and justice comes in. The suggestion is truly valuable and needs a serious consideration by all stake-holders that include even the Government.

 

It is common knowledge that all-India services such as the Indian Administrative Service or Indian Police Service, for example, have proved their merit and substance and utility. It is commonly believed that the quality of trained human material is much above the national normal and is able to hold the administrative machinery in good shape because of its grooming and ability to ensure that the system operates to the fullest measure and delivers goods. The President appears to have suggested one such approach to reforming the ability of the national justice delivery system. Even though the model is ready by way of the present all-India services, details for such a system for judicial service may take a lot of thought. This process must begin right-away, so that in due course of time, the implementation of the President’s idea may begin at the earliest.