‘Bench & Bar should unite to give speedy justice’

If bench and bar come together, they can deliver speedy justice to people like they expedited the case of actor Salman Khan recently, former IPS officer Kiran Bedi said.

“It is the same judiciary and lawyers that delayed the case for 13 years, and expedited it in three days. He (Salman) could pay for the speed and cost of legal experience.. Common man can’t pay for it and he is left out. The question is why it should not be uniform for all,” Bedi said, on the sidelines of the ongoing Women Economic Forum. 

“If this (Salman case) is fast-tracked, then the point is why can't we have fast track High Courts? This requires reform of judiciary or legal system... It is the same legal experience that could hold on the case for 13 years and which could get him out in less than three days,” she said. Bedi said the same legal experience can delay and expedite justice. 

“You can’t change the Indian judicial system unless bench and bars want to.. if they want it, they know which are the knots to be opened,” she said. The former IPS officer added, “The question is not whether it is fair or unfair, the question is of reality.. The bench and bar should be on mission mode...lawyers and judges know what delay is. For last 13 years, the bench and bar was knowing what was happening.” 

Referring to the 2002 hit-and run case, she said, "If you noticed, it is the cost of specialisation.. Better the specialisation, higher the cost.. If you have the paying capacity you get the results."