State responsiveness to people's issues key to secure justice:

Supreme Court judge Justice A M Khanwilkar today said effectiveness of the state machinery and state responsiveness to the problems of the people are key to "securing justice -- social, economic and political -- to all citizens" and said factors contributing to delayed justice should be addressed.
"Law delays, expensive court fees, uncertainty both in matter of articulation of law (legislation) and in decision making process by courts, unequal opportunity to litigants, multi forums, lack of awareness of rights and remedies, insufficient judge ratio are some of the issues which need to be focused in the present time," he said.

Justice Khanwilkar was addressing a gathering after inaugurating a lecture series on 'Different Facets of Indian Constitution' organised by Himachal Pradesh Legal Services Authority at the high court here.
"The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal thing equal and injustice stems from treating unequals equally or equals unequally," he said and emphasized that access to justice was a multi-dimensional concept and placed on the high pedestal of fundamental rights in the Constitution.
Asserting that the members of the Bar can play an effective role in minimising the life span of the proceedings and also contributing in reducing the burden of the courts, he said that they can do so by giving proper assistance to the judges to maintain timely disposal of cases.

Justice Khanwilkar said that as December 10 was being celebrated as Human Rights Day, it would be appropriate to talk about 'Access to justice', which is no less a cornerstone of basic right or human rights which every citizen in a civilized society must naturally enjoy.

The Constitution declares to secure justice -- social, economic and political -- to all citizens to fulfil this objective but much would depend on the "effectiveness of the state machinery and state responsiveness" to the problems of the society and its citizens, he added.
Justice Khanwilkar said that it was high time that the court administration as well as the advocates must make optimum utilisation of information technology to accelerate the processing of matters, adding that it would not only give impetus to the processing of cases but also ensure transparency and accountability.

Concerned over the high legal cost of justice, he said that the members of the Bar can certainly contribute by providing legal assistance to the litigants at an affordable fees, if not pro bono.
He also appealed to the members ofthe Bar to participate proactively to spread legal awareness among people belonging to marginalised society about their legal rights and remedies.
In his presidential address, Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir said the Constitution is a set of fundamental basic rules governing the politics of a nation.
The Constitution of India was to unite 300 million people with diversity of language, culture, religion, custom, habit and way of living and the interests of minorities, dalits, backward classes and indigenous tribes were also to be safeguarded and hence detailed provisions were made to ensure harmony and integration.

He said that judiciary occupies an important place in the Constitution and acts as protector of fundamental rights of citizens and guardian of the Constitution.