Judicial Accountability : Welfare and Globalisation

Contents: Preface. Link with theme. List for abbreviations. 1. Nature and meaning of judicial accountability. 2. Contempt of courts. 3. Judicial accountability: an aspect judicial independence. 4. Role of civil society in judicial accountability. 5. Right to Information Act and judicial accountability. 6. Instances of misuse of power by judiciary. 7. Judges inquiry bill. 8. Judicial accountability: a global issue. Appendices. List of cases. Bibliography. Index.

"Ours is a democracy we have adopted the rule of law as creed of governance. As the title of the book suggests this relates to Judicial Accountability. The plain dictionary meaning of \'accountability\', is liability to give account, responsibility to fulfill obligation. The two phrases are two sides of the same coin.

On the point of \'accountability\' the question that immediately arises is as to whether judges should be accountable to the people and to themselves? It\'s show, what should be the parameters of such accountability. A judge cannot live without discretion as discretion is a golden thread running through his decisions without this no judge can claim to be judicious. In such a situation, one has to look for the lines to be drawn to contain the discretion of a judge.

Judicial accountability, viewed from this angle reached the forefront the subtopics like types of accountability, stages of accountability, need for judicial accountability, problems in regard to making judiciary accountable, code of conduct for judges and how judges are made accountable." (jacket)