Local courts to be set up: Manmohan

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the Centre was considering introduction of local courts at the lowest level to ensure speedier dispensation of justice.

"Hearing in these courts will be as close to the cause of action as possible and their procedures will be simple," he said adding that the local courts would be an integral part of the judiciary.

Inaugurating a national seminar on 'Press and the nation,' organised by Prajashakthi, a vernacular daily published by the Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M), here on Sunday, the Prime Minister said that the Chief Justice of India and other senior judges were supportive of a range of reforms in our judicial system.

Stating that the UPA government was committed to bring down the pendency of cases in courts and to reducing the time taken in deciding cases, he said that a series of steps were being considered to be taken up in this regard. "I do wish to see a new wave of reforms in government, including in the functioning of our police and security forces and our judiciary," he added.

Speaking about Indian journalism, the Prime Minister said that the vast, varied and vibrant media was a national asset and pillar of strength for our democracy.

He, however, felt that the media should have social responsibility. "I do believe that to be relevant and meaningful, any publication must have social conscience. A newspaper without a conscience is like a human being without a soul," he said

Coming down heavily on Maoists and other extremists in the country, the Prime Minister pointed out that no civilised society would tolerate violence and extremism. "No one has the right to take the law into their own hands. No society can pardon those who kill innocent people. There is no grievance that cannot be redressed through democratic means and through sustained dialogue. I have said this to Hurriyat in Kashmir, to the ULFA in Assam and to the Naxalites in Andhra Pradesh."

Emphasising that in a democracy "the power of the people flows through the ballot box, not from the barrel of a gun," the Prime Minister asked every political group that has claims to represent the interests of people, or of a section, to test its popularity at the hustings, in the polling booth. "Go ask the people to vote for you and support you. Come to the legislature and enact the laws that you wish to see in place," he said.