Bhubaneswar: The School of Law, ASBM University, organised the 4th Law Symposium on Saturday on the theme, ‘Criminal Justice Delivery System in India: Retrospect and Prospects’. The event was attended by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ananga Kumar Patnaik; United Nations Internal Justice Council Chairperson and former Supreme Court judge Justice M B Lokur, who was the Chief Guest; and Professor and Registrar of National Law University, Odisha, Rangin Pallav Tripathy, who was the Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker.

In his welcome address, University Founder and President Biswajeet Pattanayak traced the journey of the Indian justice system, rooted in the country’s diverse culture and rich history. Prof Pattanayak highlighted the enduring stature and pivotal role of the Indian judiciary, which has been at the forefront of ensuring that justice is not just a legal theory but a living reality for the people of India.

Rangin Pallav Tripathy explored the nuances of the criminal justice delivery system within its broader framework. Using an innovative analogy of delivery services like Swiggy and Zomato, he emphasised that the delivery of justice is not a product but an ongoing process. Justice M B Lokur presented a data-driven analysis highlighting the increase in crimes against women and children in India, as well as an exponential rise in new trends like cybercrime. He discussed the critical challenges facing the Indian criminal justice delivery system, which finds itself at the crossroads. Justice Ananga Kumar Patnaik drew from his vast personal experience to deliver a compelling critique of the challenges facing the criminal justice delivery system. He attributed its dilapidated state to a lack of political will to reform the mismanaged system and to societal conditions and circumstances that lie beyond the control of the judiciary, police force and even

the government.