Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan has recently said that the judiciary and the courts of the country should be above any manner of politicisation. Speaking at an event on Sunday, he also said that, during his tenure, he is going to work on making the judiciary corruption-free, modernising the system, and making it accessible to the general public. There can be no denying the importance of a free and impartial judicial system in upholding people’s right to justice in a democratic system.

His predecessor, former Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, had also stressed how the courts have to be kept at a safe distance from political ideologies and rifts, adding that independence of the judiciary is essential for establishing participatory democracy, the rule of law, and the rights of the weaker sections of society. Sadly, our legal system has long been inflicted with a number of ailments, including systemic flaws, legal loopholes and the corrupt interplay of money and power. As we have seen time and again, our courts are not immune to such influences, which impede the pursuit of justice.

While we feel hopeful by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan’s assertion that a judicial administration should be independent, transparent and congruent with the idea of social justice, we look forward to seeing some meaningful actions following his remarks. After all, words are only good on paper – no change will come unless effective measures are put in place to stamp out corrupt and partisan elements from our judicial system. To this end, mechanisms to ensure judicial accountability must be strengthened so that everyone involved with the justice system – ranging from investigating officers to prosecutors to even judges – is transparent and impartial in performing their duties. Our judiciary should be equipped to withstand any and all influence, no matter where it is coming from, and treat every citizen equally under the law of the land. The state, too, must work to this end, help uphold the constitution and ensure that the judiciary faces no disruption and interference from the executive branch. The judiciary must strive to become a beacon of hope for those who seek justice, especially the ordinary people.