Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Friday equated the sustenance of rule of law with the sustenance of democracy and said that their survival depends on each other. He said the rule of law is paramount for democracy and at the same time it cannot thrive in a totalitarian system.Addressing the inaugural session of the 3-day North Zone Regional Judicial Conference at SKICC here, the Chief Minister said that the three systems of legislature, judiciary and the government have to jointly contribute in strengthening the rule of law and building unsheltered faith of people in the Institutions responsible for ensuring justice, equality, liberty and fraternity to all without any consideration. Omar Abdullah said that rule of law is paramount to achieve the goal of justice to all. He said law is blind to position, male or female sex, religion, caste or economic status, as such, justice delivered should seem to be delivered in the true spirit of justice. He said, speedy and time bound delivery of justice is of significant importance to people and at the end of the day this counts a lot to the justice seekers.
Referring to some flaws in laws, Omar Abdullah said that different interpretations and delay in justice delivery makes common people apprehensive and their faith in the system gets eroded. He said the large pendency of cases in the courts and delivery of justice taking months and years are great cause of worry to people. “This, sometimes create law and order problem. People come on roads and take the law in their own hands”, he said and mentioned Delhi rape case and added that the people coming on streets in large numbers was not only to show their concern against the crime but also to depict the apprehension about the time bound justice and punishment handed over to the culprits. The Chief Minister called for strengthening the justice system, rule of law and speedy delivery of justice to people. He also mentioned the cost factor involved in receiving the justice and gave various examples were richer people afforded to hire high class lawyers and managed to evade punishment. He said unless law is affordable to common man the justice delivery is difficult for them which shatters their faith in the system. “Cutting across barriers, all the stakeholders have to work together to rebuild the faith of people in the Institutions by sticking to promises and commitments towards the rule of law.The Chief Minister said that while speedy justice should be the benchmark in the courts, the alternate system of settling legal disputes through Lok Adalats should be given considerable fillip. He said his government has focused on increasing the number of courts besides encouraging organizing more and more Lok Adalats to reach out people across the State to deliver justice. He said that 30 Mobile Courts have also been established in the State to provide justice to the people at their doorsteps.
The function was also addressed by the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Justice M. M. Kumar, Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Sanjay Krishan Koul, Minister for Law and Justice, Mir Saifullah, Judges of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Justice Mansoor Ahmad and Justice Muzaffer Hussain Attar and Director National Judicial Academy, Dr. Balram K. Gupta.Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, various Judges of Jammu and Kashmir and other High Courts, Chief Secretary, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Principal Secretaries, B. R. Sharma and B. B. Vyas, various Administrative Secretaries, Judges of Sub-ordinate Courts, Members of the Bar, lawyers from other States, besides former Chief Justices and Judges of the High Court and students of law were present on the occasion among others. The 3-day North Zone Judicial Conference on ‘Role of Courts in upholding rule of law’ has been organized by the National Judicial Academy in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir State Judicial Academy.