Baijayant Panda submits Private Members’ Bills in Parliament

--emphasises on reform in politics, judiciary

BHUBANESWAR: Senior BJD leader and Kendrapara MP Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda has submitted three Private Members’ Bills for the consideration of the Parliament in solidarity with his commitment to the cause of judicial reforms and de-criminalisation of politics in the country. The submitted Bills are the Representation of People (Amendment) Bill, 2013, Fast Track Courts for Elected Representatives Bill, 2013 and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2013.

“India is infamous for its understaffed and overworked judiciary, high pendency of cases in the Subordinate and High Courts, abysmally low number of judges and an ineffective public prosecution system. Panda believes that even though setting the system right will require significant investment and political will in the long term, lasting changes can be effected if the roots of the problem are attacked in the short term,” said Panda in a Press release.

Panda believed that the most dangerous problem in the country is criminalisation of politics. “This trend is highly demoralising for the general public and it reduces their trust in the system. Therefore, in order to convince the public of the commitment of the political class to the pursuit of justice, judicial reforms must begin with the de-criminalisation of politics,” Panda stated.

He said that legislators must urgently reform the system of public prosecution in India. Prosecutors in India are overburdened, and the procedures followed in their appointment make them susceptible to interference from the executive and other external interests, he added.