Make Criminal Justice System Accountable, Transparent

New Delhi, Mar 16 (UNI) Amid growing concern over access to justice, experts will meet for a national seminar to be opened by President A P J Abdul Kalam at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi tomorrow.

The day-long meet on Delay in Administration of Criminal Justice System will have two sessions: Transparency and Accountability in administration of Criminal Justice System and Access to Criminal Justice to the Poor.

The Indian Constitution-- Article 39A-- commits State to securing that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity.

It also commits State to providing free legal aid by legislation, schemes or other ways to ensure that a citizen is not denied opportunity to secure justice by reason of economic or other disability.

Articles 14 and 22(1) of the Constitution make it obligatory for the State to ensure equality before law and a legal system which promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity to all.

Such commitments suffer however in absence of timely adjudication and accountability and schedule of fees for lawyers-- adjournments and appeals adding to costs.

The inaugural session will be addressed by Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan, Law and Justice Minister Hans Raj Bhardwaj and Attorney General Milon K Banerji among others.

Sponsors say they hope the deliberations attribute a ''much realistic'' meaning to the term ''access to Justice, to include a range of services and options that allows poor people and the middle class to be able to have access to lawyers without restrictions. It is access to a system not just a lawyer.'' Judges of the Supreme Court, Chief Justices and Judges of the High Courts, academicians, lawyers and students will attend.

UNI