Legal experts call for urgent reforms in Indian judiciary

The former Law Commission chairman found fault with criticising the system without suggesting the remedial measures.

Emphasising the need for easy accessibility of justice to the vulnerable sections of society, legal luminaries on Friday said that there is a need to reform the country’s judicial system.

Former Supreme Court judge Justice P. Venkatarama Reddi said the approach to reform must be guided by a thorough understanding of current shortcomings and future needs of the system.

He was speaking a national seminar on “judicial reforms” organised by the Bar Council of India and Koka Raghava Rao Law Foundation here in the city on Friday.

The former Law Commission chairman said that the recent tendency is criticising the system without pointing out the forces that are influencing the system and without suggesting the remedial measures.

Justice Venkatarama Reddi said that committees constituted by the Supreme Court and various NGOs and Bar Association have been making several recommendations from time to time calling for reforms in the Indian judicial system.

Stating that though these committees have made several valuable suggestions, he said it was sad that there was no proper mechanism to implement them.

Justice P. Venkatarama Reddi recalled that when he was the chairman of Law Commission they had recommended setting up 10 model courts each in 6 states. But, he said, the recommendation was not implemented though funds were sanctioned for the purpose.

Mr Koka Raghava Rao, senior advocate and one of the organisers, said in his address that the Indian judiciary is facing a crisis and there is an urgent need to reform the system.

Mr M.S. Prasad, senior advocate, said that the government has been allocating a meager budget to the judiciary.

Justice G. Rohini, former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, Mr. Lalith Bhasin, Mr. Yakesh Anand and Mr. Upadhya, the officer bearers of Bar Council of India, too participated in the seminar.