Sanjay Goel, a resident of Vancouver, expressed his frustration and exhaustion while dealing with a mountain of handwritten court papers during his visits to Mumbai, India. He was advocating for justice in the tragic murder of his mother, Dr. Asha Goel, in 2003. Despite having a confession and strong DNA evidence linking the crime to his uncles, the legal process in India faced significant delays due to a backlog of over 54 million cases.
Goel, along with his sisters and elderly father, endured numerous court hearings and witness testimonies, with some witnesses passing away or becoming incapacitated. The backlog in India’s judicial system has reached critical levels, with millions of cases pending for over a decade. The situation has prompted concerns among legal professionals, including retired judges like Gautam Patel, who described the backlog as “monumental.”
India’s judiciary is grappling with a shortage of judges, outdated procedures, and a lack of reforms to address the mounting caseload. The archaic system, inherited from British colonial rule, relies heavily on oral arguments and manual documentation, further slowing down the legal process. Efforts to streamline court proceedings, such as limiting oral arguments and exploring AI solutions like Adalat AI, have been proposed to alleviate the burden on the system.
Despite incremental measures, individuals like Sanjay Goel continue to face challenges in seeking justice for their loved ones. The prolonged legal battles have taken a toll on families, with Goel expressing disappointment in the Canadian government’s response to his mother’s case. As he persists in his quest for closure, he remains determined to fulfill his promise to his late mother, navigating through the complexities of India’s overburdened judicial system.
