Judicial reforms, prompt justice delivery needed: Speaker

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today expressed hope that the issue of delay in appointment of judges to the higher judiciary after the Supreme Court quashed the NJAC Act would get resolved soon and pitched for reforming and fast-tracking the justice delivery system to instill confidence in public.
"If far reaching judicial reforms are not initiated with a great sense of urgency and devotion, the image of judiciary may be eroded in the eyes of the public, thereby endangering the whole civil society and our democracy," Mahajan said addressing a gathering at the 5th annual Dr L M Singhvi Foundation lecture here.

Symptoms of inefficiency haunt the courts, she said, emphasising that justice delivery system has to be fast- tracked.
"We have to think and act in terms of filling up vacancies for post of judges in the judiciary which is one of the reasons for delay in dispensing justice," she said.
"However, the increase in number of judges has to be calibrated carefully to ensure that quality does not get compromised in the process," she added.
The eight-time Parliamentarian also expressed hope that the issue of National Judicial Aappointments Commission (NJAC), which had been struck down by the apex court, would soon get resolved soon with the cooperation of all concerned.

Her remarks came at a time when the government and the judiciary are locked in a bitter tussle over drafting a fresh Memorandum of Procedure for appointment of judges to the higher judiciary.

While striking down the NJAC Act, the five-judge constitution bench had candidly admitted that the present system of appointment of judges through Collegium system suffered from shortcomings and needed to be improved.
The Speaker said the best way to eliminate the shortcomings of a system was to keep the public informed as to how it functioned.
"I also feel that the best way to bring the elimination of perceived shortcomings of any organ of our vibrant democracy, which are capable of being eliminated, is to have all our citizens informed as to how that system functions," she said.

The annual lecture, organised by the Dr L M Singhvi Foundation, was delivered by Supreme Court Judge, Justice Dipak Misra.
Justice Misra while speaking on the 'Indian Justice system: Thoughts for Progressive Orientation' highlighted the progression of Indian Judiciary in last seven decades.
Former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee, who was the Guest of Honour, remembered L M Singhvi as "a man of many facets".
Several legal luminaries including former ministers and senior advocates Kapil Sibal, P Chidambaram and others were present on the occasion.