Judicial system should be politically unbiased: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata, June 29 (IANS) The judicial system of the country should be politically unbiased, honest and pure, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday.

“We have 88 fast-track courts in West Bengal, out of which 55 are for women only. We have 99 human rights courts in the state. My only plea is that the judicial system of the country should be totally unbiased, pure and honest. Secrecy should be maintained,” Banerjee said while addressing the Regional Conference of the National Judicial Academy here on Saturday morning.

Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Calcutta High Court Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, were also present on the occasion.

Claiming her to be a member of the legal fraternity by virtue of her degree in law, the Chief Minister said the judicial system to her is as sacred as temple, church, mosque and Gurdwara.

“I consider myself as a member of the legal fraternity. I am still a member of the bar association. I have personally appeared as a counsel in some cases,” she added.

Speaking on the occasion, she claimed that the state government is always beside the judicial system and stressed the prime task of the judicial system is to protect the common people.

“If the judicial system does not protect common people, who will protect them? The common people believe that only the judicial system can relieve them of their problems. Justice Chandrachud has undoubtedly helped in improving the judicial system of the country. On its part, the state government has spent about Rs 1,000 crore to improve the system,” the Chief Minister said.