In most of the so called democratic nations, common citizens are steadily losing faith in the government, because of the rampant and transparent corruption evident at all levels. For instance, many of the Members of Parliament(MPs) and the state legislatures in India, have criminal cases pending against them for corruption and even for murder. However, they are still able to influence the uneducated masses through their oratory skills or money. Through this they gain their votes and successfully make their way to power. Naturally, they use their higher positions of authority, to further increase their illegal assets.
No papers ever move in government departments, including that of the police, unless people generously grease their hands. These people in position can boldly demand bribes, because they have their unions to shield them. No higher authorities will ever touch them, for fear of being exposed of their own corrupt records.
Consequently, the only platform left for the common man is the slow moving judiciary, which can take decades to execute justice. But again, it is a matter of concern as to why and how the subsequent higher courts could give diametrically opposite verdicts. If evidences are analysed and interpreted scientifically and truthfully, there can only be one answer, owing to the fact that all the courts, despite their different levels of authority are using the same evidence. This means that some sort of subjectivity is perhaps influencing the decision of the judges, either at the lower level or higher levels. It could be money or political pressure or influence from the higher authorities or disguised gifts.
Hence, this is an area that needs a close and serious study. It clearly proves the incompetence of someone in that chain. If this trend continues, people could lose their faith even in the judiciaries and these functioning anarchies, camouflaged as democracies could fall into a total chaos.
It cannot be denied that many of the most avaricious and unscrupulous lawyers do succeed in making their way to the highest seats of the judiciary and continue their trade. The credibility of the judiciary is a significant factor for the survival of a nation.
- The reader is a training manager at an aviation college, Dubai
