Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday exhorted the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) to fast-track resolution of pending cases while ensuring that the judicial process is followed earnestly.
In an address at an event organised to celebrate Raising Day of the AFT, he said while there is a huge number of pending cases in different courts across the country, specialised tribunals are set up to reduce the burden.
He emphasised that while such a number poses the challenge of justice not being provided to the people at the right time, quick disposal without paying attention to the judicial process is even more dangerous.
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"It is said that 'justice delayed is justice denied'. People's faith in the judicial system decreases if there is delay in justice," he said.
"Fast-track courts and tribunals are established from time-to-time to speed up the judicial process. But, there is a need to be careful while expediting the judicial process, otherwise there is a danger of 'justice hurried is justice buried'," he said.
Singh said there is a need to strike a balance between time and procedure to dispose of cases and provide justice to the people.
"Conscience is another factor that plays a major role. Without justice, no society can attain perfection. It is our duty to deliver justice to the right person at the right time," he said.
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Stressing the need for adopting a balanced approach in the functioning of AFT, Singh asserted that the cases should be resolved while keeping in mind the needs, interests, resources and limitations of all involved parties.
He explained it with the reference of a democratic system, where people's representatives fulfil the needs of different sections of society by maintaining a balance.
The defence minister added that as the country has entered 'Amrit Kaal' and set the goal of building a developed India by 2047, it needs to be ensured that affordable justice is provided to all strata of society.
The government is fully committed to achieving the objective, he said.
-With PTI Input
