President Pratibha Patil said on Saturday that an idealistic rule of law can be achieved in the world by establishing a global economic order, combating international terrorism and reducing the cost of litigation facilitating justice to common man.
Inaugurating the ‘International Conference of Jurists on Rule of Law’ here, Mrs Patil said, “Challenges to the rule of law also include problems of international terrorism, a global economic order that does not have adequate representation in international financial institutions, weapons of mass destruction, transnational crimes, drugs, trafficking of individual and money laundering.”
She exhorted the Lawyers and jurists of the nation to help the poor and downtrodden who approach them for achieving social justice system. “Sometimes justice delayed can become justice denied and hence there is need to ensure speedier disposal of cases,” she said in the conference attended by legal luminaries from India and abroad.
Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, the Chief Justice of England and Wales, Minister of State of Law and Justice K Venkatapathy, International Bar Association President Fernando Pombo and Senior Advocate Adish C Aggarwala were among others present on the occasion. “A democratic form of government must have its foundation on rule of law that advocates the absence of arbitrary power, equality before law and protection of individual liberties,” she said. Mrs Patil expressed hope that social and economic justice to a large number of people living below the poverty line would be served better by the judiciary.
‘Reinforce efforts’
Despite having a large population and large size, the challenges in providing social justice as well as justice to the marginalised sections of our society should never be too tough and difficult, the President added.
She called for the need to reinforce efforts for the better implementation of the rule of law, particularly for the disadvantaged sections of society. The Judiciary could serve the poor and downtrodden in the rural areas by enforcing rule of law.
