CJI SA Bobde (ANI photo)

NEW DELHI: Amid a raging debate on the justice delivery system in India over recent incidents of rapes in Hyderabad and Unnao , Chief Justice of India SA Bobde on Saturday said the criminal justice system must reconsider its position and attitude but warned that justice itself should never take the form of revenge.

The Chief Justice's remarks come a day after the four accused in the brutal rape-and-murder case of a 25-year-old woman veterinarian in Hyderabad were allegedly killed during exchange of fire with the police.

"Recent events in the country had sparked off an old debate with new vigour, where there was no doubt that the criminal justice system must reconsider its position and attitude towards the time it took to dispose of a criminal matter," he said.

However, the Chief Justice cautioned that justice must never be or ought to be instant.

"Justice is never ought to be instant. Justice must never ever take the form of revenge. I believe justice loses its character when it becomes revenge. There is a need in the judiciary to invoke self-correcting measures but whether or not they should be publicised is a matter of debate," he said.

He said there is a need for devising methods to not only speed up litigation but prevent it altogether.

"There are laws which provide for pre-litigation mediation," he said, adding that there was a need to consider compulsory pre-litigation mediation.

Surprisingly, no courses were available for conferring a degree or diploma in mediation, he said.

The 'encounter' killing of the four accused in the gang-rape-and-murder of the Hyderabad veterinarian had triggered a tsunami of reactions across the spectrum - ranging from appreciation to condemnation. While some questioned the "encounter", many others hailed the cops for delivering "justice".

Meanwhile, the Unnao rape victim , who was set ablaze by the accused, died at a hospital in Delhi yesterday.

Both the incidents sparked nationwide outrage, with several people demanding speedy justice.



In Video: Justice loses its character of justice if it becomes a revenge: CJI SA Bobde