'End culture of adjournments': Prez flags delay in rape case verdicts

In a poignant address on Sunday, President Droupadi Murmu highlighted the urgent need for reforms in India's judicial system, particularly in dealing with heinous crimes such as rape.

She also called for a change in 'culture of adjournments' in the judiciary. Speaking at the valedictory session of the two-day National Conference of District Judiciary held at Bharat Mandapam, Murmu criticised the persistent delays in court decisions, which she argued undermine public faith in the judicial process.

The President pointedly remarked that when judicial outcomes for severe crimes like rape emerge only after a generation has elapsed, it fosters a perception of insensitivity within the judicial system.

"When court decisions in a heinous crime like rape come after a generation has passed, the common man feels that the judicial process lacks sensitivity," Murmu said. Her comments underscored a broader concern regarding the longstanding pendency and backlog of cases, which she deemed a major challenge facing the judiciary.