President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday inaugurated the new Judicial Court Complex in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar.
Addressing the gathering, the President said that if justice is not delivered on time, then it is equivalent to not getting justice. The poor suffer the most due to the culture of adjournment. They have neither the money nor the manpower to attend the court frequently. She expressed confidence that all stakeholders will give priority to finding a way to avoid the culture of adjournment in the interest of the common people, said a press release from the President’s Secretariat.
The President said that language is also a barrier for the common people. They do not understand what the lawyer is arguing for them or what opinion the judge is giving. She was happy to note that the Court judgments are now being translated into Odia and Santhali languages and these translated judgments are available on the websites of the Supreme Court and the Orissa High Court, said the release.
The President said that today women-led development is being emphasised.
She stated that like in other fields, women’s participation should increase in the judiciary also. She noted that Odisha Judicial Service currently has 48 per cent, female officers. She expressed confidence that the number of female officers will increase in the coming days, said the release.
President Murmu said that it is important to ensure that ordinary citizens can interact with the judicial system without fear. People often get nervous before lawyers and judges, so a sensitive environment in courts is necessary so that they can express themselves freely.
The President was happy to note that the new court complex is designed to meet current and future needs. New technologies are being used to accelerate the process of justice. She expressed confidence that modern amenities in the court complex will help in the smooth functioning of the judicial fraternity.
Notably, Odisha Governor Raghubar Das, Chief Justice of Odisha High Court, Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management, Suresh Pujari were also present at the event.