Justice Needs to be Very Fast

The purpose of  giving punishment is two fold – to bruise the  offender and to be a lesson cum warning to others around. Failing to punish or overlooking a crime or to give the least punishment such as ‘stricture’  or ‘reprimanding’ would invariably backfire and also embolden others to indulge in similar crimes.  Even delaying the punishing process beyond reasonable limits, will be counter productive.  I am a little ashamed to admit that  this is what has been happening in the Indian judicial system.  Some time even a minor case drags on for months and years.

 In such a scenario, a news item  like a high court giving instant justice and in a matter of minutes, comes as a heartwarming development  indeed. A young software engineer had been charged with teasing an young woman on the public road. This gentleman had the audacity to apply for a bail. During  consideration of the bail, the judge  pronounced a punishment straightway out of the blue;  the accused was required to sweep the hospital floor for an hour a day for 30 days.

Simultaneously, the judge  also approved his bail plea after he had surrendered at the police station.  But the punishment will continue. The superintendent of the  General hospital has been ordered to maintain a register, to mark his attendance  and to ensure that the techie does really sweep and keep the hospital  premises clean.

One wouldn’t know how the judge would deal with him after he completes his unusual sentence of 30 days.  Perhaps he may ask him to give in writing that henceforth he would behave himself. 

This is what I call, ‘quick  justice’  and we need to pursue this  model almost in all cases of mis behaviour in public or indoors where the public gather and work.  No lawyer should be allowed to defend such wrong doers.. 

Remembering that our justice system is a delayed stuff,  one policeman took on the role of a judge and gave instant justice right on the spot of the offence.  The delinquent  was a young college student who jumped the signal at a traffic point which was manned by a no-nonsense type police man.  The law keeper caught hold of the erring youngster and made him do 25 sit-up’s  then and there and  in the direct view of the passersby.  The  young man would have felt terribly embarrassed all right but he would never jump the traffic signal ever again.  If this case has been referred to a court, it might have taken six months or more for finalization.  For all you know, the youngster could have been let off free as well with only  a warning.

If we want to feel safe in the society and enjoy life without interference, we need to adopt the instant justice model wherever possible. It will create some fear in the mind of the potential mischief makers  and they would desist from indulging in antics like eve teasing , throwing things at the pedestrians or abusing the elderly and making  a nuisance  of themselves everywhere.