Maharashtra's Justice system needs urgent reforms; State Slips to 11th spot in IJR report

Maharashtra, one of the largest states in India, has slipped to the 11th spot in the India Justice Report 2022 (IJR) rankings.

The IJR is based on an assessment of police, judges, prisons, and legal assistance. Previously, Maharashtra had led the list in the first two editions of the report released in 2019 and 2020.

The IJR report reveals that the southern states of India perform better than the rest of the nation in delivering justice. Among the 18 major and mid-sized states, Karnataka tops the list, while Sikkim ranks second among the seven tiny states.

One of the major issues with the state's justice system is the amount spent on providing justice, which is appalling. The state spends the least amount of money on prisoners among the main states. The highest prison occupancy since 2007 is 130%, and more than two-thirds of the inmates (77.1%) are detained while enquiries or trials are ongoing.

Furthermore, the backlog of unresolved cases in India will take 324 years to clear, according to the NITI Ayog's strategy paper for 75 years of independent India. At the district court level, there are more cases that have been ongoing for more than 10 years and for five to ten years. Additionally, the High Court level case clearance rate decreased from 85% in 2018-19 to 72% in 2022.

The state's ability to provide prompt justice has decreased, and there were 46% more openings for correctional employees in Maharashtra in 2021 than in 2019. Maharashtra has not made as much progress as some of the other big states, which is a cause for concern.

Moreover, legal assistance is minimal in Maharashtra, with India spending a pitiful INR 3.87 per year per person on free legal help, which 80% of the population is entitled to. A single legal aid clinic also serves 179 villages in 2022. No state spends more than 1% of its total yearly expenditures on the judiciary, with the exception of two union territories (Delhi and Chandigarh).

Prompt administration of fair and equitable justice is essential for the welfare of the person and the nation. Maharashtra's declining justice system needs immediate attention and reforms to ensure that justice is accessible to everyone, regardless of their economic status. The state must take concrete steps to address the issues and improve the justice system.