President for swift, effective justice for law-breakers

Speaking in the backdrop of a nationwide outrage over atrocities against women, specially the death of a Delhi gang rape victim, Mukherjee said, "The judiciary has to ensure that those who are on the wrong side of the law are dealt with swiftly and effectively to maintain social balance."

Addressing the sesquicentennial celebrations of Calcutta High Court, the President acknowledged that for a country of a large population of 1.2 billion, the judicial institutions had the unenviable task of delivering timely, affordable and quality justice to all its citizens.

"Though, the Indian judiciary has preserved its pre-eminent place in Indian democracy, one area where it has lagged behind is in not fully meeting the aspirations of the people and provide quick, speedy and accessible justice to those who knock at its doors," Mukherjee noted.

The President also advocated the need for maintaining the independence of the judiciary while at the same time maintaining the delicate balance.

"The independence of the judiciary is the cornerstone of our democracy. Everything necessary needs to be done to reserve and protect the independence of our judiciary. But, needs to be done while maintaining the delicate balance of power enshrined in the Constitution," Mukherjee said. MORE