HYDERABAD, March 19 - Expressing concern over huge pendency of cases, a Supreme Court judge today stressed on the need for more number of courts for effective functioning of judiciary, saying courts do not possess a magic wand to reduce the number of cases which have become �a factor of injustice�.
Addressing at the inaugural function of a two-day State-level Judicial Officers� Conference here, Justice NV Ramana said while judiciary is often blamed for the huge pendency of cases, very little attention has been paid to the reasons for the �unfortunate� situation. �Courts do not possess a magic wand where it can be just waived to wipe out the huge pendency of cases,� he said.
�Instead of blaming the system it is high time that some soul searching is done by stakeholders to find out the root cause so that the problem can be addressed effectively and expeditiously,� he said.
Ramana also suggested that government of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana must provide ample infrastructure and funds to create more number of courts.
He requested Chief Ministers � N Chandrababu Naidu of AP and his Telangana counterpart K Chandrasekhar Rao � who were present during the function, to take necessary steps in this direction.
The Supreme Court judge said the enormous increase in filing of cases at all levels across all courts is a �good symbol� and an indication of common man�s faith in the judiciary. �This good symptom brings along with major challenges of maintaining high standards of judicial administration and providing the litigants a cost-effective and speedy relief. Both higher and lower judiciary is grappling with the issue of pendency of cases. The system has reached a point where it has become a factor of injustice,� he said.
He further said Indian judiciary has played an instrumental role in shaping the nation that follows the rule of law in its governance.
�Why Judicial activism? At times when the system do not respond to the aspirations and needs of people, then the judiciary takes up the task by becoming pro-active. Judicial activism is the use of judicial power to articulate and enforce it what is beneficial for the society in general and public at large,� Justice Ramana said.
�The only thing judiciary must keep in mind is, while going overboard to do justice to common man, (it) must not overstep the limitations prescribed by the Constitution,� he observed. � PTI
