Citizen: Dr. Malpani, you’re known for calling out inefficiencies in healthcare and education. But lately, I’ve been hearing you talk a lot about governance, especially the judiciary. Why the shift?
Dr. Malpani: That’s a great question. I believe all systems — whether medical, educational, or judicial — ultimately exist to serve the citizen. And right now, our judiciary, which is supposed to be the final protector of our rights, has started functioning like a black hole. You send in your grievance, your petition, your plea for justice — and nothing comes back. No light. No verdict. Just silence.
Citizen: That sounds dramatic, but sadly, it’s also accurate. A friend of mine filed a simple civil case and it’s been pending for seven years. No end in sight.
Dr. Malpani: Exactly. The average Indian has lost faith in the system. Justice delayed has become justice denied. The judiciary was envisioned as the backbone of our democracy, but today, it feels like a maze with no exit.
Why Has the Judiciary Become a Black Hole?
Citizen: What do you think is causing this collapse?
Dr. Malpani: Several factors — all interconnected:
- Overburdened Courts : We have over 4 crore pending cases in India. That’s not just a backlog — that’s a systemic failure.
- Shortage of Judges : Our judge-to-population ratio is abysmally low. We have around 21 judges per million people, when we should have at least 50.
- Procedural Delays : Adjournments are handed out like candy. Cases get pushed endlessly for reasons that make no sense.
- Lack of Accountability : If a judge delays a verdict for years, who holds them responsible? No one.
- Opaque Appointments : The collegium system is essentially a closed club. Judges appointing judges, without transparency.
- Judicial Vacations : Judges take long vacations while citizens wait years for verdicts. It’s absurd.
- Colonial Legacy : Our legal procedures are still rooted in colonial bureaucracy — slow, complex, and alien to common citizens.
Citizen: But aren’t judges overwhelmed? Don’t they deserve breaks too?
Dr. Malpani: Of course, they do. But governance is about prioritization. In a country where a farmer might lose his land or a woman might wait years for alimony, justice can’t be a part-time job. The current system is failing the people it was built to protect.
Why the Silence Is So Dangerous
Citizen: You called the judiciary a black hole. Is it really that bad?
Dr. Malpani: Think about it. In every other domain — healthcare, education, policing — if there’s a failure, you still have some mechanism to protest. But when the judiciary fails you, there’s no higher body to turn to. That’s why it’s so dangerous. When the final court of appeal becomes dysfunctional, the entire fabric of democracy unravels.
Citizen: That’s terrifying. But I’ve also noticed something strange — the media rarely criticizes the judiciary.
Dr. Malpani: Yes. Judges have placed themselves on a pedestal of unquestionable moral superiority. Any criticism is branded as contempt of court. It’s unhealthy. Any institution in a democracy must be open to scrutiny. If doctors can be sued for negligence and politicians can be voted out, why should judges be immune from criticism or accountability?
So How Do We Fix It?
Citizen: Okay, so we’ve diagnosed the disease. But how do we cure it?
Dr. Malpani: Good question. Here are a few concrete steps we need:
- Time-Bound Judgments: Just like RTI mandates replies in 30 days, why can’t courts commit to a timeline? Every judgment must come with a statutory deadline.
- Judicial Performance Metrics: Judges should publish data on how many cases they dispose of. Let citizens see which judges work and which ones delay.
- Transparency in Appointments: Scrap the opaque collegium system. Establish a judicial appointments commission with representation from civil society.
- Technology-Driven Courts: Why are we still lugging paper files? Digitize everything. Use AI to track delays and suggest prioritization.
- Citizen Oversight Panels: Set up local citizen panels to audit court performance at the district level. Real accountability starts locally.
- Abolish Colonial Laws: Repeal archaic procedures that serve no purpose except delaying justice.
- Fix Contempt Laws: Rewrite contempt laws so they don’t silence dissent. Respect must be earned, not demanded.
The Role of Citizens
Citizen: This sounds like a revolution. But what can an ordinary citizen like me do?
Dr. Malpani: Never underestimate the power of one citizen. File RTIs. Attend court hearings. Demand transparency. Support judicial reform campaigns. Share your experiences publicly. If we stay silent, the rot deepens. If we speak up — intelligently and persistently — change will come.
Citizen: It sounds like the judiciary needs a citizen audit.
Dr. Malpani: Precisely! Just like we audit MPs and MLAs, we need to monitor judges — not to harass them, but to make the system better. After all, sunlight is the best disinfectant.
A Personal Note
Citizen: What’s your personal motivation to take this up?
Dr. Malpani: I’ve seen too many good people — honest entrepreneurs, grieving patients, elderly parents — break down because they couldn’t get timely justice. It’s heartbreaking. I believe India deserves better. And unless we fix our courts, all other reforms will be superficial.
Citizen: Thank you, Dr. Malpani. This was eye-opening. I always thought of the judiciary as sacred and untouchable. But now I see that even the highest institutions need accountability.
Dr. Malpani: Thank you for listening. Let’s work together to make the judiciary a pillar of strength, not a black hole of despair. If we care about our democracy, we must care about how justice is delivered — or denied.
📢 If you’ve faced delays in the Indian judiciary or want to be part of a citizen-led reform movement, join us at www.empoweredcitizen.in
Let’s shine a light into the black hole. Together, we can bring justice back to the people.