Judicial Activities in India

Road-Map for judicial reforms

The Government is preparing a roadmap for judicial reforms in the country which aims, inter alia, at reducing pendency in the courts, at providing quick and effective justice, introducing accountability of the judges and bringing the transparency in judicial processes for the litigants. The details of the roadmap are being worked out. Dr. M.Veerappa Moily, Minister of Law and Justice informed the Rajya Sabha.

Source: Press Information Bureau

Corruption in Judiciary

Dr. M. Veerappa Moily, Minister of Law and Justice informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that allegations of corruption in the higher judiciary have come to the notice of the Government from time to time. As for the subordinate judiciary, the administrative control over its members vests with the concerned High Courts and the State Governments as per the provisions of Article 235 of the Constitution of India, he added .

Source: Press Information Bureau

SC: Institution head, cops can be punished for ragging

The supreme Court on Friday added teeth to its earlier stringent anti-ragging directions by making the head of the institution and the local police chief liable for disciplinary action if any ragging incident takes place within their jurisdiction.

The fresh directives were added to its earlier guidelines, which among other punishments also provided for rustication of the errant senior if he indulged in ragging- related death of Amann Kachroo exposed the chinks in their implementation.

Pronouncing the elaborate measures, most of which were suggested by the SC committee headed by the former director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) R K Raghvan, a Bench comprising Justices Arikit Pasayat and A K Ganguly directed a national level committee to suggest remedial measures in the school curriculum to limit the ragging menace by studying the impact of this physical abuse on students. Each state would follow suit with similar committees, the apex court Bench said.

The 7 commands of SC

• Penal consequences and departmental proceeding against institution and departmental heads who show apathy towards complaints of ragging
• Fresher’s to be divided into small groups and affiliated to teaching staff who would keep constant vigil on their welfare and protect them from seniors
• Round the clock vigil on hostel premises
• Departmental action against principal of Rajendra Prasad Govt Medical College (RPGMC), where Amann Kachroo died after ragging
• SHO/SP, within whose jurisdiction a particular college falls, shall be responsible for ensuring that no ragging takes place on the campus of concerned colleges.
• Amann’s father Rajendra Kachroo to assist Raghvan Committee to provide a link age between committee’s effort and the NGO anti-ragging movement.
• De-addiction measures in RPGMC where alcoholism is rampant.

Source: The Times of India