Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Strategic timeout: on the Bilkis Bano case and an outcome

Strategic timeout: on the Bilkis Bano case and an outcome

The convicts (अपराधी, दोषी) in the Bilkis Bano case are using delay as an end

It is disconcerting (चिंताजनक) when a judge is impelled (उत्तेजित करना) to say that he discerns (पहचानना) in the tactics adopted by the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case, an intent (इरादा, उद्देश्य) to avoid his Bench. The convicts were released last year. Justice K.M. Joseph’s remarks that it was more than obvious that there was an attempt to avoid his Bench (a court of law with a number of judges) came in response to requests for adjournments (स्थगन) on behalf of (की ओर से) some of the convicts claiming (दावा करना, माँग करना) they had not yet been served (सेवा करना, उपस्थित करना) notice of Ms. Bano’s petition (याचिका) challenging their release. The requests came on a day when the matter was listed for final hearing. No one can dispute the right of the convicts to be informed of hearings through proper service of notices, but it would be questionable if claims of not being served properly were made with an oblique motive. In the end (अंततः), the Bench had to adjourn (स्थगित करना, पुनर्निर्धारित करना) the hearing to July, long after Justice Joseph’s last working day later this month. The release of the 11 convicts, who were serving life terms (a punishment for a criminal of imprisonment for life; prison term, prison sentence, jail sentence, penal sentence) for multiple murders and the gang-rape of women during the Gujarat pogrom ((planned) mass slaughter, mass killing, mass murder (of a particular ethnic group)) of 2002, had raised questions about the remission (क्षमा) process. It became known later that the Union government had consented (agree to, give permission to, approve, allow) to their release. Justice Joseph had, at an earlier hearing, wanted to see the relevant files to ascertain (find out, understand, recognize, get to know) whether the decision to release them was based on relevant considerations (attention, analysis; examination, scrutiny). The files were not produced on the stipulated (prescribed, fixed, specified) day, but counsel (lawyer, legal practitioner, legal adviser, legal executive, advocate, barrister, attorney, solicitor) for the Centre indicated that both governments may seek (ask for, request, appeal, demand) a review of the order to produce the files. However, in the latest hearing, the Solicitor General (the second-highest rank for a law officer of the government) has agreed to produce the records.

It is debatable whether the outcome of a case will be different if heard by another Bench, but it is difficult not to see these developments (turn of events, occurrence, happening) in the backdrop (situation, scenario, context) of the influence (control, sway, power, authority, domination) the convicts seem to have with the incumbent (current, existing, present (holder, bearer or occupant of an office)) regimes (government). They also seem to have considerable (substantial, large, significant) political support from the ruling parties at the Centre and the State. Their release itself came about as a result of another Supreme Court order which ruled, somewhat intriguingly (interestingly, fascinatingly), that the Gujarat government was the “appropriate government” to consider their case for remission, and that the 1992 remission policy, applicable at the time of their conviction (sentence, judgement, verdict), may be the basis. There is considerable interest (common concerns (in politics/business)) in the outcome of this challenge as the question of jurisdiction (power, authority, command, control, sovereignty, influence) on Gujarat granting remission — the trial (legal proceedings, legal action, inquiry, hearing) took place in Mumbai and the appeal was heard by the Bombay High Court — and the correctness of the decision to release them prematurely (too soon, too early, before the usual time) based on a report of a committee (commission, panel, advisory body) that included political nominees (candidate) have become contentious (controversial, argumentative, quarrelsome) issues.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.strategic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - रणनीति-संबंधी
English Meaning - relating to achieving long-term or overall goals.

2.outcome (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नतीजा, परिणाम
English Meaning - consequence, aftermath, end result.

3.convict (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अपराधी, दोषी
English Meaning - prisoner, inmate; criminal, lawbreaker, offender.

4.disconcerting (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - चिंताजनक
English Meaning - upsetting, discomfiting, unsettling, disturbing, disquieting, troubling.

5.impel (verb)

Hindi Meaning - उत्तेजित करना
English Meaning - force, compel, oblige, constrain, urge, pressurize

6.discern (verb)

Hindi Meaning - पहचानना
English Meaning - recognize, notice, sense, observe.

7.intent (noun)

Hindi Meaning - इरादा, उद्देश्य
English Meaning - intention, aim, ambition, aspiration, objective, goal, target.

8.adjournment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - स्थगन
English Meaning - suspension, discontinuation, postponement, rescheduling.

9.on behalf of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - की ओर से
English Meaning - as a representative of, in the name of, at the behest of, in the interest of.

10.claim (verb)

Hindi Meaning - दावा करना, माँग करना
English Meaning - state, allege, contend.

11.serve (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सेवा करना, उपस्थित करना
English Meaning - present, provide, make available.

12.petition (noun)

Hindi Meaning - याचिका
English Meaning - plea, appeal, urgent/earnest request, entreaty.

13.In the end (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - अंततः
English Meaning - after all, ultimately, at last.

14.adjourn (verb)

Hindi Meaning - स्थगित करना, पुनर्निर्धारित करना
English Meaning - postpone, reschedule, suspend, discontinue, put off, put back, hold off, defer, delay.

15.remission (noun)

Hindi Meaning - क्षमा
English Meaning - it implies reducing the period of sentence without changing its character (whereas commutation denotes the substitution of a form of punishment for a lighter one).

16.timeout (noun)

English Meaning - break.

17.bench (noun)

English Meaning - a court of law with a number of judges.

18.claim (noun)

English Meaning - statement, allegation, contention.

19.oblique (adjective)

English Meaning - indirect, implicit, implied.

20.serve (verb)

English Meaning - complete, spend a period/time/term (in prison/office).

21.life term/sentence (noun)

English Meaning - a punishment for a criminal of imprisonment for life; prison term, prison sentence, jail sentence, penal sentence.

22.pogrom (noun)

English Meaning - (planned) mass slaughter, mass killing, mass murder (of a particular ethnic group).

23.consent (verb)

English Meaning - agree to, give permission to, approve, allow.

24.ascertain (verb)

English Meaning - find out, understand, recognize, get to know.

25.consideration (noun)

English Meaning - attention, analysis; examination, scrutiny.

26.stipulated (adjective)

English Meaning - prescribed, fixed, specified.

27.counsel (noun)

English Meaning - lawyer, legal practitioner, legal adviser, legal executive, advocate, barrister, attorney, solicitor.

28.seek (verb)

English Meaning - ask for, request, appeal, demand.

29.the Solicitor General (noun)

English Meaning - the second-highest rank for a law officer of the government.

30.development (noun)

English Meaning - turn of events, occurrence, happening.

31.backdrop (noun)

English Meaning - situation, scenario, context.

32.influence (noun)

English Meaning - control, sway, power, authority, domination.

33.incumbent (adjective)

English Meaning - current, existing, present (holder, bearer or occupant of an office).

34.regime (noun)

English Meaning - government.

35.considerable (adjective)

English Meaning - substantial, large, significant.

36.interest (noun)

English Meaning - common concerns (in politics/business).

37.intriguingly (adverb)

English Meaning - interestingly, fascinatingly.

38.Gujarat remission policy, 1992 (noun)

English Meaning - It is the policy of the government to exercise the power of remission for a life-sentenced prisoner who have completed 14 years in jail.

39.conviction (noun)

English Meaning - sentence, judgement, verdict.

40.jurisdiction (noun)

English Meaning - power, authority, command, control, sovereignty, influence.

41.trial (noun)

English Meaning - legal proceedings, legal action, inquiry, hearing.

42.prematurely (adverb)

English Meaning - too soon, too early, before the usual time.

43.committee (noun)

English Meaning - commission, panel, advisory body.

44.nominee (noun)

English Meaning - candidate.