“Judicial delays threaten the rule of law in India.” Discuss.

Overview:

Due to India’s enormous backlog of more than five crore cases, justice delayed is justice denied. Persistent judicial delays undermine the constitutional guarantee of equality before the law and destroy public trust in government.

Analytical Dimensions: 

• Court personnel shortages and persistent judicial vacancies severely limit capacity.
• Litigation is prolonged by antiquated practices and repeated adjournments.
• Efficiency is hampered by uneven adoption of digital technologies and e-Courts.

Obstacles

• The impoverished are deterred from pursuing justice by high lawsuit fees.
• Timely disposal is hampered by inferior courts’ lack of judicial infrastructure.
• Flexibility is diminished when case management is overly centralized.

Prospects:

• To modernize courts, create a National Judicial Infrastructure Authority.
• Use AI-based scheduling to increase the number of virtual and fast-track courts.
• Encourage community mediation and alternative dispute resolution.

UPSC General Studies Paper Preparation

Public Administration Optional Exam Preparation

About the Author: Jyoti Verma