http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6955504.stm
The case of Pratap Nayak of Boudh District in Orissa having spent a total of fourteen years in jail, just because a court official failed to inform the authorities about his acquittal, paints the true picture of inefficiency in the Indian lower courts. After a five year long legal battle, the Orissa High Court upheld a petition filed on his behalf by Prabir Das, the man who argued for Pratap Nayak’s constitutional right to freedom and liberty. The saddest part of the case was highlighted when it came to deciding the amount of compensation that Pratap Nayak deserved for inefficiency of the lower court and total indifference of the State Govt. The State Govt pleaded that “Pratap deserved less compensation since he was a poor man." In other words, there was a distinction between the rich and the poor in the eyes of the State. That the court refused to entertain the plea is a saving grace.
That Pratap Nayak was only 13 when in 1989 when he was arrested, eighteen when acquitted in 1994, twenty seven when released from jail in 2003 and thirty one in 2007 when finally granted compensation for a crime he did not commit, speaks volumes for the state of judiciary and kind of governance in the country. And we wonder why people die in the jails due to over crowding!
To add insult to injury, there is a political debate for reservation in higher judiciary. The Indian people have seized to be amazed by the callous attitude of the politicians and total lack of professional integrity of the judiciary.
Hats off to Prabir Das and Santosh Padhi for taking up the cause of Pratap Nayak.
The case of Pratap Nayak of Boudh District in Orissa having spent a total of fourteen years in jail, just because a court official failed to inform the authorities about his acquittal, paints the true picture of inefficiency in the Indian lower courts. After a five year long legal battle, the Orissa High Court upheld a petition filed on his behalf by Prabir Das, the man who argued for Pratap Nayak’s constitutional right to freedom and liberty. The saddest part of the case was highlighted when it came to deciding the amount of compensation that Pratap Nayak deserved for inefficiency of the lower court and total indifference of the State Govt. The State Govt pleaded that “Pratap deserved less compensation since he was a poor man." In other words, there was a distinction between the rich and the poor in the eyes of the State. That the court refused to entertain the plea is a saving grace.
That Pratap Nayak was only 13 when in 1989 when he was arrested, eighteen when acquitted in 1994, twenty seven when released from jail in 2003 and thirty one in 2007 when finally granted compensation for a crime he did not commit, speaks volumes for the state of judiciary and kind of governance in the country. And we wonder why people die in the jails due to over crowding!
To add insult to injury, there is a political debate for reservation in higher judiciary. The Indian people have seized to be amazed by the callous attitude of the politicians and total lack of professional integrity of the judiciary.
Hats off to Prabir Das and Santosh Padhi for taking up the cause of Pratap Nayak.
1 comment:
This has to change. Enough is enough. Forget inefficiency, do we have no consicence that we the people dont protest this subverted system of justice. The trouble is systemic.
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