It is welcome that Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Surya Kant, said that the Supreme Court is for the common man and his first priority is to settle pending cases and reduce the cost of litigation, but it cannot be ignored that for a long time, similar things have been said by one judge after another and yet the result is the same.

The harsh reality today is that the Supreme Court is becoming increasingly out of reach for the common man. Given the high fees charged by lawyers and the constant adjournment of hearings, it’s impossible for ordinary people to muster the courage to approach the Supreme Court for a hearing. Even if they do, there’s no guarantee of timely justice.

It is a fact that the number of pending cases in the Supreme Court, like in the lower courts and high courts, is increasing. The public is also keenly aware of how certain high-profile lawyers have it all. Who knows how their cases get prioritized?

This isn’t the first time a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has promised timely justice, reduced backlogs, and taken steps to reduce litigation costs. This trend has persisted for decades. Each new Chief Justice promises radical reforms to the judicial system, but experience so far suggests that no fundamental change has occurred. As a result, public frustration is now setting in.

They rarely approach the courts. It must be understood that mere talk of reforming the judicial system will not achieve this. Concrete steps must be taken to reform the judicial system before public faith in the judiciary is shaken. This is also necessary because a country’s development depends largely on its smooth judicial system. In a country where timely justice is not delivered, not only does disputes increase, but development work is also hampered and dissatisfaction with the system grows.

This leads to a growing tendency to disregard rules and regulations. The problem isn’t just at the judiciary level, but also at the executive level. After all, it’s a fact that governments are embroiled in litigation with their own people. It would be good if the government and the Supreme Court work together to resolve the problem. Delay is unacceptable, as it’s already too late.