Indian Judicial System is currently famed as the highly burdened and delayed justice system. A humorous anecdote stating, “If you go to judiciary today your bones will be in ashes when receiving judgment” depicts the working of judiciary. This common but serious allegation on the Indian judiciary sheds light on the denied right to ‘speedy trial’, which also causes an imbalance in fair justice due to an elongated time period.
The total number of pending cases in the Supreme Court of India is 71,411 as on August 2, 2022, Union Minister of Law & Justice Kiren Rijiju informed the Rajya Sabha on August 4. Among speedy trial systems like tribunals, Khap Panchayaths, and others, one of the ignored and least approached system is the religious judicial system.
Recently, Justice Jasmeet Singh observed the concept of marriage as a protection for a Muslim couple who got married and highlighted the Islamic rites and rituals that existed in Sharia law. Such cases could easily be solved if initiation were made in religious institutions to which the respective clients belonged.
When people are made aware of the routes available in their footsteps, the courts’ time in dealing with minor issues will be saved. There is a need the religious institutions in every village and city take up the responsibility of dispute resolution. When done so, not only the justice be quick but it will also save court it’s time and will make way for a speedy trial reducing the number of pending cases in the court.
Various civil organisations in the country should initiate and work along the government to bring awareness among the civilians regarding the continued religious law in the country and knock it’s door pre-burdening subordinate court or High Court, which are easily resolvable at the grassroot level.
Image by Ekatrina Bolovtsova
