CJ, minister lock horns over dispensation of justice

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A debate between the Chief Justice and the Law Minister over quick dispensation of justice surfaced in presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after she laid the foundation of the Judges' Complex at Kakrail in the city Saturday, reports UNB. Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque advised Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed to "take care of your own house" before making any adverse remarks on the judges and their functions. The Chief Justice said although the judiciary has become independent from the executive shackles, how could it enjoy this independence, leaving the judges in the lurch. He termed the prevailing situation of the judiciary as asking someone to swim with hands and legs tied. The entire judiciary is functioning with inadequate staff and logistic support that results in increasing the number of pending cases, the CJ said. He said the number of judges should be doubled to address the pressing issue of huge backlog of cases. It is no use blaming the judges for inordinate delay in disposing the cases. Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque, who goes on retirement on May 17, said those who run the administration sitting in the comfort of air-conditioned rooms will not be able to realize the unending plight of the judges who sometimes hold hearing of cases by rotation in the same courtroom. Earlier, addressing the function, Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed came down heavily on the judges especially for delay in disposing of cases. Referring to the judges, he said: "You don't do your work timely, nor do you keep track of what is going on." Barrister Shafique said the government will make rule against random adjournment of hearing of cases, as the legacy of adjournment culture on whims will increase sufferings of litigant public. He accused the judges of lax attitude in conducting regular inspection of subordinate courts. There have been allegations against a section of judges about inspection of lower courts, the Law Minister said, adding that sometime it so happens that a judge returns having lavish meals with costly gifts in the name of inspecting courts. Barrister Shafique, a technocrat minister, further alleged that often the judges do not sit in courts timely. Many judges wait for Thursday to come so that they could attend their personal businesses in the capital and return to their work places in the second half of Sunday. He urged the judges to sit in court on time and dispose of cases quickly, keeping in mind the sufferings of the justice-seekers.