Rising to the challenge

Transformation on several levels is needed if India’s new law minister, Veerappa Moily, is to accomplish judicial effectiveness, argues Shardul Thacker

The Indian electorate has given the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) a definitive majority and a clear mandate, placing huge expectations on the government to deliver value and realize unfulfilled promises. The recent inflow of foreign investment is evidence of global confidence in the new government, even at a period of great economic difficulty.

As a BRIC country (Brazil, Russia, India & China), India has not received its fair share of foreign investment. The new wave of investment by foreign institutional investors, and the volume of joint ventures since the new government’s inception, demonstrate that India could become a fast-growing economy once again if the UPA fulfils its mandate during its five-year term.

While the restoration of economic stability is a major priority, the real challenges for the government lie in eradicating poverty, providing effective and efficient healthcare and nationwide education, clamping down on corruption, implementing an efficient judicial system and ensuring the quick and effective disposal of the enormous backlog of court cases.

The new law minister, Veerappa Moily, has a considerable task to perform. He inherits the same long-standing problems faced by former law minister Hans Raj Bharadwaj. Moily must bring about a sea change in judicial infrastructure, in order to deal with delayed justice and the mounting costs which are incurred by litigants as a result.

Shardul Thacker is a partner at Mulla & Mulla & Craigie Blunt & Caroe, a law firm based in Mumbai.