So many cases pending
Right off the bat, in lower courts all over the nation, more than 35 lakh cases of bounced cheque are pending. To an outsider, this might appear as just another statistic, but to the person who has delivered his good or service but not received payment, justice delayed is justice denied.
What is the apex court thinking?
The Supreme Court of India is moving in the direction where a signed cheque is as solid as the currency the government prints.
To ensure this, defaulters - wilful or negligent - are to be punished.
Changes
The changes are to enable a faster resolution of the pending cases.
1. Under the Negotiable Instruments Act, clubbing all the pending cases together against a legal entity and attending to them as a single case in the Court is being recommended.
However, the cases which have been initiated in the last one year are eligible for the same.
Also read: Administration rolls out ‘we are vaccinated stickers’ campaign for aggressive vaccination
2. Further, to expedite, in these cases the requirement to have a witness is also being scrapped. In this regard, the High Courts all over the nation have been instructed to handle the cases using affidavit.
Summary
Trust in any transaction is essential for the smooth functioning of economy and the society in general.
And the same leaves innocent and law-abiding people for exploitation by those who are willing to bypass the rules.
When the financial system of the country supports honest people and punishes dishonest individuals, then everyone benefits.
Thus, these initiatives by the Supreme Court are in the right direction.