Indian Judiciary And Politics

Few will deny that the post-emergency higher judiciary in India has earned widespread public acclaim for its innovative and creative jurisprudence notwithstanding the argument advanced by some critics that it has exercised excessive jurisdiction, transgressing at times the executive and legislative domains, contrary to the original 'checks and balances' design of the Constitution. While the issue of judicial restraint in the context of constitutional separation of powers deserves serious attention, the fact of the matter is that juristocracy invariably triumphs when the elected representatives in a democracy cannot be trusted to provide good and lawful governance. From this perspective, the unprecedented judicialisation of politics and the growth of judicial activism in India seems to be an organic response to pressures within the political system itself. The contributors to the volume are well-known scholars, lawyers, and academics. They reflect on the itinerary of higher judiciary and its contributions to constitutional law and public good contextualised for the developmental path of the political system since the commencement of the Republic in 1950. The papers cover a variety of topics -- judicial activism, judiciary and ecology, secularism, parliamentary institutions, central executive, new economy, and judicial reforms -- that focus primarily, though not exclusively, on the ramifications of judicial activism for Indian politics.

Examines whether the Indian Supreme Court can produce progressive social change and improve the lives of the relatively disadvantaged.

Judicial institutions evolved in India in the context of India’s social, economic and political conditions and because of the reception of legal concepts and institutions known to English and Scottish judges, lawyers and administrators. Modern Indian judiciary bears the hallmarks of its genesis and evolution during the British rule but it has progressively gone for beyond the colonial confines after the republican Constitution came into force. The theme of fundamental Rights and the role of the Supreme Court and the High Courts as vigilant custodians of fundamental rights are at the heart of India’s constitutional democracy. We owe a deep debt of gratitude to our apex judicature, the higher judiciary and the country’s bar in the evolution of the common law of the Constitution. It constitutes by common consent a remarkable chapter in our national life. H v H The Constitution of India is not the last word in human wisdom, but it was certainly a glorious achievement of national consensus and national commitment. The higher Indian judiciary can be said to have broadly fulfilled its constitutional ethos. There have been aberrations, notably during the Emergency and in some cases, of overstating and unduly enlarging the scope of judicial power. More seriously, there are grave and growing problems of inefficient case management, arrears, delays, corruption and incompetence. Those issues have to be addressed urgently, effectively and comprehensively if the Indian judiciary is to emerge as a fit instrument for Rule of Law for the teeming millions in the largest democracy in the world and if the Indian judiciary is to flourish in the twenty-first century holding its head high as an institution of freedom, liberty and balance, with a commitment to the constitutional goals and aspirations of We the People of India.

The Supreme Court of India is a powerful institution at the forefront of public attention in India. It is often engaged in a bitter duel with the government on issues as diverse as the administration of cricket in India to whether liquor shops are allowed on highways. Despite such public prominence, very little attention has been paid to who the judges of the Supreme Court are, how they are appointed, transferred and removed, and what they do after retirement. This book provides an account of these four facets of judicial functioning and analyses the processes in operation today. It argues that each of these four aspects gives rise to significant concerns pertaining to judicial independence, accountability, or both. Its main argument is that both judicial independence and accountability are necessary for 'an effective judiciary', and these two values are not in conflict with each other as is commonly assumed.

Contains 25 Papers And Two Documents Which Book At Various Aspects Of Indian Judicial System At All Levels-Judicial Activism-Appointment Of Judges-Independence Of Judiciary-Rule Of Law Etc.

A leading expert on Indian judiciary, George Gadbois offers a compelling biography of the Supreme Court of India, a powerful institution. Written and researched when he was a graduate student in the 1960s, this book provides the first comprehensive account of the Court’s foundation and early years. Gadbois opens with Hari Singh Gour’s proposal in 1921 to establish an indigenous ultimate court of appeal. After analyzing events preceding the Federal Court’s creation under the Government of India Act, 1935, Gadbois explores the Court’s largely overlooked role and record. He goes on to discuss the Constituent Assembly’s debates about Indian judiciary and the Supreme Court’s powers and jurisdiction under the Constitution. He pays particular attention to the history and practice of judicial appointments in India. In the book’s later chapters, Gadbois assesses the functioning of the Supreme Court during its first decade and a half. He critically analyzes its first decisions on free speech, equality and reservations, preventive detention, and the right to property. The book is an institutional tour de force beginning with the Federal Court’s establishment in December 1937, through the Supreme Court’s inauguration in January 1950, and until the death of Jawaharlal Nehru in May 1964.

This book offers an innovative approach to studying ‘judicial activism’ in the Indian context in tracing its history and relevance since 1773. While discussing the varying roles of the judiciary, it delineates the boundaries of different organs of the State — judiciary, executive and legislature — and highlights the points where these boundaries have been breached, especially through judicial interventions in parliamentary affairs and their role in governance and policy. Including a fascinating range of sources such as legal cases, books, newspapers, periodicals, lectures, historical texts and records, the author presents the complex sides of the arguments persuasively, and contributes to new ways of understanding the functioning of the judiciary in India. This paperback edition, with a new Afterword, updates the debates around the raging questions facing the Indian judiciary. It will be of great interest to students and scholars of law, political science and history, as well as legal practitioners and the general reader.

In modern computer era we have computerised everything including the medical profession but why we have not updated our Indian judiciary system alone so far into digital model? Even after the Supreme Court of India had set up a special committee and the committee had given its recommendations during the year 2005 itself and the government also spent during 2011-2015 Rs 640 crs for phase I and Rs 1078 crs for computerisation for creating infra for implementation of e-courting system out of total financial outlay of Rs 1630 crs, allocated money for this. But why it had not been fully implemented is the million dollar questions raised by the public?. Whether it is because of self-interest of the Judiciary or the advocates or court administration?, in spite of more than 3.20 crores are pending before all Indian Courts for decades together? Failure of our part to digitalisation of the court cases records and procedure so far the judicial industry is very much affected due to this corona lockdown period. It is a major setback for judiciary since the “justice delayed means justice denied” How long our judiciary will keep silent for not opening the courts due to corona like virus effect., God only knows the fact. Among the four pillars of our Constitution except Judiciary all the three viz.,Government, Administration and Press are being working for 24X7 , but judiciary is closed its office. In order to overcome this situation I bought up this book “E- Courting and Modernisation of e-judiciary in India “which includes the e- filing procedure before SC & HCs and District courts and SC guidelines regarding the implementation of the e- courting system etc for the benefit of Legal fraternity to switch over immediately in to digital courting and to reduce the pending cases and provide quick justice to our needy poor in time and render them quick justice. Jai Hind.

With reference to Indian judiciary.