Delay erodes public faith in legal system: Madras high court Chief Justice

Chennai: Calling on lawyers to avoid unnecessary delays in legal proceedings, Madras high court Chief Justice M M Shrivastava said that delay erodes public confidence in the legal system."Justice delayed is justice denied. Given the large number of cases pending in the courts and the number of judges and infrastructure available, it is a challenge to ensure that justice is delivered to people in time. Legal practitioners should conscientiously avoid unnecessary delays," Justice Shrivastava said while speaking at the 15th convocation of the Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University here on Saturday.Explaining lawyers' duties and responsibilities to law graduates, the Chief Justice said, "Legal practitioners have a profound responsibility not only to clients but also to the justice system and their colleagues. These duties are fundamental to maintaining the integrity, credibility and effectiveness of the legal system."Justice Shrivastava also asked the students not to mislead the court or withhold evidence. "A lawyer's duty is to present facts honestly. They are officers of the court, and their duty is to assist the court to reach a just and proper decision," he told students. He further said that advocacy must be exercised within ethical boundaries, never resorting to deception, coercion or unfair practices. He also advised young lawyers to engage in pro bono work, offering legal services to those who cannot engage lawyers.Governor R N Ravi presided over the convocation. As many as 16,571 students, including 38 PhD scholars, graduated. Justice V Bharathidasan, convener of the V-C convenor committee, presented a report.