Will the Change in the Statue of Justice Actually Improve the System?
Atul Malikram (Author and Political Strategist)
Currently, there is a wave of change sweeping across the country. While we’ve previously seen city names being changed, recently, even the statue of the Goddess of Justice has been altered. The new statue has been Indianized, with the blindfold removed and the scales of justice still in hand, but now, instead of a sword, it holds the Constitution. While this change may seem positive symbolically, will it bring real improvements to the judicial system?
Can merely changing a symbol address the deeper issues? The judicial system in the country still faces numerous challenges. As of 2024, the number of pending cases across all courts has exceeded 51 million, with over 180,000 cases pending for over 30 years in district and high courts. According to a 2018 report by NITI Aayog, if cases continue to progress at this pace, it would take 324 years to clear the backlog.
Moreover, outdated and irrelevant laws still govern the proceedings, causing unnecessary delays in cases. For instance, a rule in the CrPC prevents hearings from moving forward in the absence of the accused or witness. According to the 2022 report by the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), more than 60% of criminal cases are delayed because of this rule. These delays result in innocent individuals suffering prolonged imprisonment. A case in Bihar illustrates this: after spending 28 years in prison, a man was acquitted due to lack of evidence, but the real criminal was never caught. In the end, not only was justice denied to the victim's family, but a person's life was wasted, demonstrating the system's inefficiencies.
To truly reform the justice system, changing the statue alone won't be enough. We need changes in outdated rules, faster case hearings, and new regulations for under-trial prisoners to ensure innocent people aren't wrongfully convicted. Technological solutions like online hearings, AI-based case management systems, and the establishment of fast-track courts can also help. Furthermore, increasing the number of judges and ensuring greater transparency in the judicial process are essential steps. Today, the number of judges is insufficient for the volume of cases being filed in courts.
While the change in the statue of justice is a positive symbolic gesture, real reform will only occur when the pace of decisions is accelerated, and citizens can trust that they will receive justice in a timely manner. True justice means delivering fair and timely decisions, and that is the real change we need.
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