Declining Public Confidence in the Judiciary
Public trust is weakening due to alleged corruption and bias in the system.
Example: Burnt currency found at a judge’s house has raised alarm.
Some judges are seen attending events linked to religious or political groups.
Extra-judicial practices like “bulldozer justice” continue, despite Supreme Court rulings against them.
Problems in District Courts
Most Indians interact with the judiciary through district courts, yet these courts are neglected.
Facilities are poor, and delays are common due to frequent adjournments.
Judges at this level face pressure — a verdict against the government can lead to punishment.
Disciplinary actions against judges often rely on weak or hearsay evidence.
Lack of Transparency and Accountability
Judiciary demands transparency from others but resists it for itself.
Disciplinary actions are secretive, and public data about court cases is unreliable.
The National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), meant to track case status, contains unverified data.
Huge amounts of public money have been spent on the e-courts project, but with poor results.
Withholding Information from Public and Parliament
Courts use Article 121 to avoid giving performance data to Parliament.
This article is meant to protect judges from political attacks, but it’s misused to avoid scrutiny.
The judiciary also fights Right to Information (RTI) requests about delays and functioning.
Suggested Reforms for Judiciary
Create separate hierarchies for State and Central laws to reduce confusion and improve accountability.
Increase citizen involvement in the justice process to improve public engagement.
Focus on procedural reforms to ensure decisions are fair, consistent, and timely.
Need for Legal Awareness and Accessibility
Most people, especially women, don’t know their legal rights and suffer in silence.
Example: A large percentage of women face domestic violence but never seek help.
Legal awareness must go beyond knowing laws exist — people should know how to use them in real life.
Myths around consent, abuse, and maternity rights must be corrected for better access to justice.
COMMENTS