PM bats for speedy justice for women

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday underlined the need for swift justice in cases involving crime against women and said that it will give them greater assurance of their safety. His remarks come against the backdrop of the rape and murder of a Kolkata doctor and sexual assault on two kindergarten girls in Maharashtra's Thane. Modi also said the judiciary is considered a guardian of the Constitution, and that the Supreme Court and the judiciary have lived up to the responsibility.

Addressing the inaugural session of a national conference of the district judiciary in the presence of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, Modi referred to the "burning issue" of atrocities against women and safety of children and said it was a matter of serious concern.

Noting that stringent provisions have been made in laws for safety of women, the prime minister referred to the fast track special court scheme launched in 2019. "The faster the verdict is delivered in cases of atrocities against women, the greater assurance half of the population will have about their safety," he said. The district monitoring committees, comprising the district judge, the district magistrate and the superintendent of police, can play a key role, he said.

Pointing to the important role of the panel in coordinating between various aspects of the criminal justice system, Modi stressed on the need to make these committees more active.

The Kolkata incident has also become a flashpoint between the TMC government in West Bengal and the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

Referring to the role of Judiciary in protecting the Constitution and the spirit of law, the prime minister said the people of India have never shown any distrust of the Supreme Court or the judiciary. Describing the imposition of the Emergency as a "dark" period, he said the judiciary played a key role in upholding fundamental rights. On matters of national security, Modi said, the judiciary has protected national integrity by keeping national interests paramount.