Finally a delayed justice came again. 2 years of imprison for the killers of more than 15000 people and demolishers of many generations of Bhopal. Cleary delay in justice and then mockery of justice is an infamy for judiciary in incredible republic of India. After chief judicial magistrate Mohan P Tiwari stated verdict against 12 accused in hush packed court area in the case relating to outflow of noxious methyl isocyanate gas leaked out in the deadly hours of darkness of December 2nd and 3rd of 1984, all punished were out of the jail at a mere bail of Rs. 25000. This delayed justice seems like justice got denied to more than 5 lakh affected people. Neither the case operated on fast track neither a proper handling of case is done in 26th years. In fact, there is still no special law if this type of incident reoccurs. Who is responsible? Today finger is towards the figure that we usually see in courts: a blind statue. But is it sure that this statue just blind; is not it lame too walking awkwardly and speeding like a tortoise; that’s the judiciary of biggest republic of the world!
Indian constitution gives so much flexibility that the treatment under which criminal cases undergoes makes common man having total distrust in the judiciary system. The rich parties even have right to acquire judges too as is seen in one recent Chandigarh high court case. Judges and lawyers have to follow a particular code while hearing of cases which they forget causing delay in evenhandedness which is another kind of injustice. God better knows that if no case would be filed from now, it will take more than 2-3 centuries to give justice to all cases filed as more than 50 lakh cases are petitioned every year! This infinite time postponement and piled up files nowhere provide any rationale. Whether it’s the case of 1991 dalit massacre in Andhra Pradesh or anti sikh riots or godhra riots justice is either delayed or not done(both are the same things, if consider the years of sufferings of people who fights for).
P.S.: Legislation body of India set up a panel some times before in the guidance of Rajya Sabha member, E.M.S. Natchiappan, to see the possibilities of setting up a time frame, like west where if litigant files a petition, he gets the dates in advance indicating the days within which judgement will have to be delivered. I am hoping any result report of this panel to be come out within this century.
