Legal Workshop Series: Justice Must be Done with Compassion, Says SC Judge

Justice M.R.Calla, former Judge of High Court of Gujarat and Rajasthan, stated that the Constitution of India is based on the concept of Trinity, namely, the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. The session was part of the series of legal workshop sessions that began as a part of the All India Seminar on Judicial Reforms. 

 

During the legal workshop session on ‘Mainstreaming and supporting the lowest wing of the Indian Judiciary,’ Justice M.R.Calla (photograph right) stated, “Justice must be done with compassion.” He reminded everyone that the administration of justice is a divine function and therefore, it is of utmost importance that a judge is able to identify who has been wronged so as to discharge his functions effectively.

 

 

At the legal workshop, Justice M.R.Calla made some important observations about the difficulties faced by judges in their endeavor

to dispense with justice. He stated, “Every order passed by the lowest court is as effective as a High Court or Supreme Court ruling, unless held otherwise by the apex court.”

 

He pointed out, “The government treats the judiciary in the category of non-planned items. They say, judiciary is non-productive. We have to go to the government with begging bowl. The judiciary in India, if it is to function smoothly and effectively, needs economic independence. The condition of trial and subordinate courts is bad. They have no proper forms, paper, stationery and I know of instances where the trial court judges ask lawyers to provide them with these basic necessities.”

 

 

In his brief address at the legal workshop, Justice M.R.Calla stated, “The Indian army has an OLQ parameter based on which army officers are recruited. OLQ stands for Officer like qualities. In the judiciary, we should adopt something on those lines – JLQ. We should have it so that we can bring the right type of judges into the legal system. Increasing the number of judges is secondary to ensuring that we appoint judges who have quality, substance and character.”