Hyderabad: With the Union Budget 2020-21 has disappointed many, it has also reduced funds for the judicial, legal infrastructure, for justice delivery and legal reforms at times when the nation is caught in between unjust, unconstitutional amendments where the ruling party is attempting to kill the democratic character of the nation.
As perceived earlier, the world viewed India as a rising power but now the nation’s rule of law, its commitment to constitutional values hurting citizens, corporates are being questioned not only India but across the globe said Sanjaya Baru, media adviser to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Speaking at the ‘The Rule of Law, the Economy and Ease of Business in India’ as part of 14th ML Ramakrishna Rao Memorial Oration in Law, and 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, organised by Vidhi Manch (Law Forum) in the city on Sunday, Mr. Baru spoke on the crisis the nation is caught in apart from discussing the funds allocated to the judiciary, challenges to the Rule of Law in India and the slowdown of the Indian economy.
Slowdown of the Indian economy:
The economy did slow down to an average rate of growth between 5% and 7 % against growing at an unprecedented rate of over 8% per annum between 2003 and 2012.
“There has been much discussion among economists on whether the ongoing slowdown was merely cyclical, and so amenable to fiscal and monetary policy intervention, or whether it was structural, so requiring policy change of a more fundamental kind. To make matters worse, there is increased political uncertainty and chaos caused by recent political intervention, including the heightened communal rhetoric by those in responsible positions of power,” he said.
Funds allocated to judiciary
Very little, that is even less than 1% has been allocated judiciary he noted.
Earlier, the economists had, for some time, complained that India had spent less than 1 % of its national income on the judiciary, far less than most democracies.
“It is disconcerting to see that the Union Budget for 2020-21 has in fact reduced the funds available for judicial and legal infrastructure, for justice delivery and legal reforms,” he said.