HOW and in HOW MANY WAYS DO I DENY THEE JUSTICE 1. I deny thee justice because I take 10 even 20 years to hear a case; 2. I deny thee justice because I allow numerous adjournments on flimsy grounds adding to your misery; 3. I deny thee justice because I grant only measly Rs. 500 or so for adjournments, when your advocate may cost you Rs. 1, 5, even 50,000 for his appearance; 4. I deny thee justice because I am of long-winding procedure rather than of relief; 5. I deny thee justice because even though you fought and won your case after a struggle of 10/20/30 years that drained you and your family of mental, physical and financial resources, I am pleased to award you “costs” only of Rs 1,000; Rs 5,000 if you are lucky, and Rs 25,000 or a little more if you are really, really lucky. My logic is simple and straightforward: that poor fellow who is in the wrong must not be burdened with real costs, because you who are in the right must bear the consequences for having brought the culprit to book. So what if full costs are not awarded there will be no deterrent for wrong doing? 6. I deny thee justice because as I will be pleased to award only measly amounts as costs that will be, maybe, 1/10th of actual costs incurred by you over, say 5 or 10 years, most of you will be disheartened and will not seek “justice” because you will not even be able to recover your costs and expenses and you will undergo a whole lot of unrecoverable physical, mental and financial trauma. 7. I deny thee justice because even if I am pleased to award punitive costs / damages, the amount will typically be nominal at Rs 2,000, maybe 10,000 if you are lucky ….. So what if even a puppy may today cost Rs 50,000 or 2.0 lacs? So what if heavy damages are not awarded, there will be no disincentive for wrong doing? 8. I deny thee justice because I am typically saddled with upto 30, 40 even 50 cases each day. This translates into maybe 3 minutes per case. Can one really be expected to understand and grasp the nuisances of a matter in that little time, and be able to hand out sound reasoned orders? 9. I deny thee justice because I am only a reflection of society at large. 10. I deny thee justice because there really is no transparent, effective or efficient mechanism to handle grievances against me.
