Government committed to judicial reforms: PM

Committed to improve the justice delivery system, the govt has taken several initiatives, including launching the National Mission for Justice Delivery (NMJD), PM Manmohan Singh said in Mumbai today. HT reports.

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Saturday said, improving the judicial system and bringing in several reforms that will ensure quick disposal of pendencies is a strong initiative of the government.

Prime-Minister-Manmohan-Singh-greets-as-he-arrives-to-attend-the-closing-ceremony-of-a-celebration-of-the-Bombay-high-court-to-mark-150-years-of-judicial-service-in-Mumbai-AP-Rafiq-Maqbool

He was speaking at the concluding function of the celebration of the 150 years of the Bombay high court, at the NCPA in Mumbai on Saturday.

“The judicial institutions of our country face the unenviable task of delivering timely justice to millions of people in our country at an affordable cost…. We stand committed to working with the judiciary to bring improvements in the justice delivery system,” Dr Singh said.

Enumerating the initiatives taken by the government he said that the government has launched a national mission for justice delivery in 2011 with the objective of increasing access by reducing delays and arrears and increasing accountability.

Apart from a constitutional amendment bill for increasing the retirement age of judges of high courts being considered by the Parliament, a comprehensive proposal to set up an All India Judicial service and a group under chairman at law commission is formed to look at improvements possible in court procedure and processes.

“An inter-ministerial group is examining amendments that can be made in the negotiable instruments act to look at increasing litigations arising out of cases of bouncing cheques,” Singh added.

Appreciating the achievements of the Bombay high court, Dr Singh said that in the past 65 years, 22 judges have been elevated to the Supreme Court, of whom 8 became the Chief justice of India, including one who had the longest serving tenure. He added that 9 transferred judges have traveled to the Supreme Court, including two lady judges.

Chief Justice of India, Justice SH Kapadia, Maharashtra governor K Sankaranarayanan, Governor of Goa BV Wanchoo, Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar were few of the dignitaries present at the function.