Inclusive, accessible & transparent judicial system is core of good governance: CM

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun

Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that an inclusive, accessible, transparent and effective judicial system is the core of good governance. He averred that ensuring speedy and fair access to justice for every section of society is the priority of the State government. 

The CM was addressing ‘Judicium 2.0,’ the annual conference of Uttarakhand Judges Association at UPES on Sunday. He said that at the conference’s theme focuses on crucial issues such as inclusivity, easy access to justice and strengthening judicial institutions, which are also linked to the resolve to build a developed India. Dhami said that the essence of justice lies in its impartiality and timeliness. Unnecessary delays in justice impact public confidence so effort should be made to make judicial processes more effective. He opined that the success of the rule of law depends on public confidence in the judiciary. 

The CM said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many historic steps have been taken to make the country’s judicial system transparent and technologically advanced. New laws such as the Indian Judicial Code, the Indian Civil Protection Code and the Indian Evidence Act along with systems such as e-courts, the National Judicial Data Grid, digital case management and video conferencing, have made judicial processes more effective. 

Dhami said that the State government has maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards crime. Citing anti-copying law, anti religious conversion law, anti-riot law, and actions against corruption and illegal encroachment, he said that these efforts have strengthened the rule of law in Uttarakhand. Terming the Uniform Civil Code implemented in the State as a historic step aimed at women’s empowerment and providing equal justice to all citizens, the CM said that it is now being discussed everywhere. The CM also announced a sum of Rs five crore for the welfare fund of Uttarakhand Judges Association and also released the souvenir of the association. 

The conference was also addressed by the chief justice of Uttarakhand High Court Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justices Ravindra Maithani, Rakesh Thapliyal, Alok Mehra, Subhash Upadhyay, Siddharth Shah and registrar general of Uttarakhand High Court Yogesh Kumar Gupta.