Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan at the foundation function of state judicial academy at Dhurwa on Sunday. (Prashant Mitra)

Ranchi, May 17: Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan said that 80 per cent of criminal cases in Jharkhand were lodged against the poor.

Justice Balakrishnan, while laying the foundation stone for the state judicial academy at Dhurwa today, said: “The rich people know how to defend themselves, but it is the underprivileged ones who are trapped and languish in custody.”

He added that the judiciary had to be more sensitised and should come forward to help the poor by imparting quick and proper justice.

Among those who are in custody, the majority are those who are involved in petty criminal cases and are rotting there. The prosecution as well as the judiciary ought to be trained and equipped to handle and dispose such cases within a short span of time, Justice Balakrishnan said.

Citing various odds against which the judiciary is functioning, he added: “The number of cases pending in the subordinate judiciary is 87 per cent as per the national data. There is an acute shortage of judges and infrastructure, which have crippled the pace of disposal of cases. Training of judges is imperative for delivery of justice. The judicial academy as a centre of learning is ideal for thought provoking and learning for the judges and new entrants in the judicial services.”

“The judicial academy should, other than teaching laws, should also strive towards sensitising trainees to deal with situations in courts. Reaction of a judge towards a woman, juvenile, HIV patient should all be under the scanner in the academy. Moreover, a judge has to be trained to rise above his personal prejudices when it comes to delivering justice,” he added.

A host of Supreme Court judges, including Justices S.B. Sinha, Mukundkam Sharma, V.S. Shirpurkar, Markandey Katju, Altamas Kabir and other dignitaries were present.

Former Supreme Court and high court judges of Guwahati, Kerala, Patna and Rajasthan were also present for the function along with Chief Justice Gyan Sudha Misra and Justice M.Y. Eqbal of the Jharkhand HIgh Court.

Supreme Court judge Mukundkam Sharma said that the importance of a training centre was essential to maintain the stock of judicial officers.

The proposed judicial academy will be built over six acres near Dhurwa dam side, about 7km from the high court.

The academy will have class rooms, libraries, hostels and a guesthouse for trainees. The judicial academy, at present, functions in an annexe building of the Administrative Training Institute.