Knocking those doors of the Temples of Justice should have ordinarily been one's last resort. Unfortunately in Goa it has become the first stop. With so many faulty government decisions and a state of utter mal administration the judiciary has to play a very crucial role in delivering justice. To ensure this, it is imperative that the politicians should have no direct or indirect role whatsoever in the selection, promotion and posting of Judges.
Judges should judge every case on merit and should never ever be swayed by the status of the parties to the case or the faces of the advocates representing the parties. A good judge has to be extremely fair and never be ever influenced by any factor other than the rule of law. Justice has to be dispensed with proper application of mind, cautiously yet promptly. Judges cannot please everyone. Justice can sometimes taste unpleasant but has to be swallowed like a bitter pill. Justice is one of the few commodities that should never be bargained for over the counter. Judges have their own personalities and style of functioning. Like all of us, they too are bound to err but as long as the real intent is to deliver justice, no judge can be faulted. Accepting the position of a judge is a very big challenge. One has to sacrifice one's personal liberty to a great extent. As justice has to be meted out even at the grass roots, it is very essential that persons with sound knowledge of law be selected for this noble job even at the entry level at the lower Judiciary. The selection of subordinate court judges has to be very meticulous as persons who cannot construe the law, only do damage to the justice delivery system. In times when money and muscle power is solely determining the heights our Politicians can peak, the task of the Judiciary becomes all the more pertinent, crucial and vital. Only persons with good knowledge of law and with a good insight to interpret and dispense it should take responsibility as Judges. This noble task may not be monetarily satisfying but it must definitely give one the mental satisfaction of having done a noble job. The pecuniary benefits of the judicial officers must be enhanced so that the Judiciary attracts nothing less than the best and the brightest. Over the years we have witnessed some extremely good judges. We have also seen some from the other end of the spectrum and on them less said the better. Judges should be ready to fearlessly take on the government for its illegal actions. Judges should be also consistent in the way they dispense justice. Courts cannot end up being Casinos. The bedrock of our democracy is the rule of law and an independent judiciary, which is truly independent. A judiciary that is accountable to the Rule of law. Aires Rodrigues T1 - B30, Ribandar Retreat Ribandar - Goa - 403006 Mobile: 9822684372
