'Allegations can demoralise institutions'

In the light of corruption charges against judges, the Centre will table a bill that deals with  accountability of the judiciary in the approaching winter session of Parliament, said Union Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Veerappa Moily.

He was addressing a gathering during the regional conference organised by the Indian Institute of Public Administration on ‘Judicial Reforms and Police Reforms’.  However, he cautioned against portraying institutions in a negative light. “People who make allegations must prove it. Painting an institution in negative shades will create anarchy. It will demoralise the system,” the minister said.

On Gram Nyayalayas, Moily said that 5,000 of them would be set up in the country. When these courts begin functioning from October 2 this year, the pendency of cases in the Indian courts would come down.  “If this Gram Nyayalaya is operationalised, it will be a major revolution. In six months’ time, the number of  cases would reduce surprisingly,” said the minister.

Drawing a grim picture of the disposal rate in the Indian courts, Moily said that 2.65 crore  cases were pending in the lower courts and 36.5 lakh cases were pending in the higher courts.

Former DGP Srikumar said the talk of reforms will not work unless there was a strong political will. Citing his personal example where in one year he was transferred to eight places and in the two years before his retirement he was transferred to various departments. The Supreme Court  guidelines clearly point out that a DGP must put in two years of service at a place.  “The contempt of court is going on but there is no one to check it,” Srikumar charged.

Governor Hansraj Bhardwaj in his address said that the DGP should be empowered to carry out transfers in the department and security of tenure needs to be protected.

IIT for State in future
The Union Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Veerappa Moily said that a provision will be made for an IIT in the State in the 11th five-year plan. The venue would be Muddenahalli, Sir M Vishveshwaraya’s native place. “The 10th five-year plan had a provision for an IIT in Karnataka but because land was not allotted, it could not be established,” he added.
He begged to differ with the World Bank report which made an assessment of countries where carrying out business was a tough proposition. India was placed at a lowly 73rd position out of 74 nations.  “It is not that bad but the the scene is certainly worrisome. We are therefore bringing the Commercial Court Bill where high value cases above Rs two crores, would be accepted and disposed off in six months time.”