Law and National Development Lincoln’s Inn Memorial Lecture 29/Aug/2008 : Kuala Lumpur
“Access to Justice to all has to be the mission.” mission.” I am delighted and thankful for being invited to give the Lincoln! Inn "emorial Lecture# "$ greeting! to all the di!tingui!hed member! a!!embled here# %hat remind! me of the Inn! in London during the &'th (entur$ (entur$ )hich provided all that )a! needed for practice practice at the *ar# %here )ere chamber! to live and )ork+ a hall to eat and drink+ a chapel or church to pra$ and a librar$# %hu!, a conducive environment )a! enabled for the legal and -udiciar$ communit$# %hi! led to creation of thinker! in variou! i!!ue! linked to humanit$# .hat a phenomenal tran!formation that ha! taken place in the !ociet$ in the intermediate centurie!, a! )e !ee no) cience and %echnolog$ ha! revolutioni1ed our )a$! of life, tran!porta tran!portation, tion, communication, communication, healthcare, healthcare, education deliver$ deliver$ and in general general human advancement# At the !ame time, ever$ thing about humanit$, )e cannot be proud of: Abundance and ab$!mal povert$ coe3i!t# %here are people )ho do not earn even the minimum for !ub!i!tence, there are atrocitie! on )omen and there are man$ !ocial evil!, like like corrup corruptio tion, n, !till !till evadin evading g perman permanent ent eradic eradicati ation# on# .hile .hile nation nation!! are )orkin )orking g to improve the lot of people and leap frog in development, there are force! at )ork to imped impedee b$ )a$ )a$ of e3tre e3tremi mi!m !m and terr terror ori! i!m# m# La) La) i! about about pre! pre!er ervi ving ng the the valu value! e!,, under!tand the le!!on! from the pa!t and build a !trong foundation for the development and gro)th of a nation giving due re!pect to the freedom of the individual! )ithout infringing on other! freedom, perform one! dutie! and re!pon!ibilitie!# ociet$ ha! to be d$namic to make progre!! and prepare it!elf for the challenge! of the future# In a democratic !ociet$ the legal !$!tem provide! the ba!i! to deal )ith human being! in a fair and ob-ective )a$# .ith thi! background, )hen I am )ith $ou, I )ould like to talk on the topic 4La) and 5ational 6evelopment”# Evolution of Legal System
Legal !$!tem! have evolved over time, in nation! often referring to practice! follo)ed in other countrie! al!o# .hen the$ originated, the nation! )ere not a! connected a! toda$ )ithin them!elve! and )ith other!# (ertain la)! and principle governing international activitie! have al!o been evolved# %he technolog$ ha! made po!!ible globali1ation of man$ activitie!# "ultinational companie! have percolated the )hole )orld# 7eople of multi culture! contributing to nation! have become normal rather than e3ception# %he technolog$ gro)th i! making po!!ible ne)er area! to emerge a! challenging propo!ition to legal communit$# %he vi!ion of legal communit$ for the 2&!t centur$ i! to aid the d$namic development proce!! )ith a clo!e interaction )ith cience and %echnolog$ )ith an ethical approach# Let me give an e3ample of a humanitarian activit$ in m$ countr$#
Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI
In India, )e have !tarted !tarted a uniue programme programme from the $ear 200 )hich I )ould like to !hare )ith $ou# %hi! !ingle action ha! an impact on a billion live!# ver$da$, ever$hour, ever$minute and ever$!econd, !ome kind of emergenc$ i! occurring# %hi! could be "edi "edica cal, l, 7olic 7olicee or ;ire ;ire rela relate ted# d# %hi! %hi! organ organi1 i1at atio ion n i! calle called d ",000 !uare kilometer! and )ith ?2 ambulance!# %here i! a mergenc$ ,000 call! are effective emergenc$ call! in the toll free number &08# A! !oon a! a call i! received, ambulance depart! )ithin ?0 !econd! and reache! the !ite of emergenc$ in an average of &' minute! if it i! an urban area, or 2 minute! in the rural area# A "inimum of &00 ualified profe!!ional! are in the control centre attending to the call! received from a toll free number &08 at an$ point in time# %he$ help control the movement of ambulance! ambulance! )ith emergenc$ emergenc$ management technician! technician! under the guidance of mergenc$ mergenc$
I have !tudied the -udiciar$ and legal proce!! in m$ countr$# ver$ citi1en )ant! purit$ in the !$!tem# A! $ou are a)are, there are !everal interface! in the total !$!tem# %he$ are:
&# 7olitical Leader! 2# La) maker! = "7! and "LA! E# (iti1en! '# Admini!tration 7ublic F 7rivateB # 7olice ?# cienti!t F %echnologi!t ># La)$er! and La) chool 8# Gudge! = upreme (ourt, @igh court, 6i!trict court! 9# "edia ver$ interface ha! to )ork )ith a common vi!ion of the development mandate for the countr$# It ha! to be tran!parent and pure+ then onl$ an integrated !olution )ith a development focu! )ill emanate# "an$ of the real life problem! are comple3, but the common goal of national development can provide appropriate timel$ !olution# I )ould like to e3plain ho) ever$ !$!tem ha! to function for a common purpo!e )ith integrit$# #$ %olitical leaders 7olitical leader! !hould !et an e3ample for the civil !ociet$ )ith a vi!ion for the nation and engaging in development politic!# %here i! a need for the political leader! to re!pect the la) and en!ure that the proce!!e! of po)er i! not u!ed to circumvent the la) of the land# &$ Law ma"ers %here i! a need to !implif$ the La), di!card irrelevant and old Act! )ith a certain periodicit$# "ake the !$!tem in !uch a )a$ the di!pen!ation of -u!tice take! place fa!t and fair# Cur education !$!tem !hould promote legal literac$ through formal and informal mechani!m! particularl$ for the rural communit$# '$ iti)ens (iti1en !hould have re!pect for other! right! and al!o attempt to u!e the legal !$!tem for good purpo!e! and not for pett$, !elfi!h end! or for po)er politic!# *$ +dministration %he Admini!tration !hould be re!pon!ive, proactive and al!o innovative to keep pace )ith contemporar$ change! and e3pectation!# Admini!trator !hould u!e technolog$ like egovernance to give fa!t deci!ion! in all re!pect!# ,$%olice 7olice !$!tem !hould function in a )a$ that good citi1en! )ill have faith and nothing to be afraid of# %he$ !hould not !uccumb to an$ e3ternal pre!!ure! in deliver$ of -u!tice# %he$ !hould protect hone!t official! in di!charging the dutie!# 7olice per!onnel !hould be facilitated )ith perk! and remuneration con!i!tent )ith their performance e3pectation!# -$Scientist and .echnologist cienti!t and technologi!t have to be partner! )ith the legal communit$ and evolve legal frame)ork! for introduction of ne) technolog$ in the !$!tem, !o that the -udiciar$ i! able to admini!ter -u!tice )ith !peed u!ing the benefit! of technolog$ and al!o en!ure that the technologie! are u!ed keeping the ethical value! and principle! in mind# In emerging technologie! the legal frame )ork mu!t be developed )ithout time lag )hile the technolog$ it!elf i! developing#
/$ Lawyers Legal profe!!ion i! not a mere bu!ine!! but it ha! the re!pon!ibilit$ to unfold truth# %herefore the$ !hould abide b$ the principle! of profe!!ional ethic!# La) !chool !hould engender !uch value! at the beginning and !enior La)$er! !hould become role model! for the $outh# 0$ !udges 1 Supreme ourt2 3igh ourts2 District courts "ake truth prevail irre!pective of the level of the !tature of the affected partie!# peed of deliver$ of -u!tice i! crucial for the citi1en!# (reate a mechani!m for handling of !ocietal crime!# (ourt! have a tendenc$ to give the benefit of doubt to the accu!ed purel$ due to technical rea!on! of la)# @ere, I am reminded of the !tatement of the famou! Indian La)$er 5ani 7alkivala, )ho !aid 4la) i! !ome)here and -u!tice i! !ome)here el!e”# 4$ Media "edia !hould remain vigilant and proactive# @o)ever, the$ !hould appl$ adeuate caution not to pre-udge i!!ue! or !acrifice truth for !en!ation# A !$nchroni1ed )orking of all the nine con!tituent! )ith national development and human )elfare a! focu! )ill lead to a happ$ !ociet$#
5o) I )ould like to pre!ent technolog$, development and the la)# Multi Dimensions of .echnology %echnolog$ ha! multiple dimen!ion!# It can bring great )elfare+ if mi!u!ed it can re!ult in di!a!ter!# It can be treated in a protective manner for rea!on! of competition or geo politic!, limiting it! benefit# ;or e3ample, the development! in chemical engineering brought fertili1er! for higher $ield of crop! )hile the !ame !cience led to chemical )eapon!# )eapon!# Like)i!e, Like)i!e, rocket technolog$ developed for atmo!pheric atmo!pheric re!earch re!earch helped in launching !atellite! for remote !en!ing and communication application! )hich are vital for the economic development# %he !ame technolog$ led to development of mi!!ile! )ith !pecific defence need! that provide !ecurit$ for the nation# %he aviation technolog$ development ha! led to fighter and bomber aircraft, and the !ame technolog$ ha! tran!formed pa!!enger traffic and helped operation! reuiring uick reach of !upport to people affected b$ b $ di!a!ter!# .hen nuclear !cience )a! born in India in &90!, in t)o decade! India got nuclear medicine, nuclear irradiation for pre!ervation and multiplication of improved varietie! of agricultural product!, nuclear po)er and much later )eapon!# imilarl$ in the ca!e of !cience of virolog$, it i! predominantl$ u!ed for anti viru! vaccine!, but !ome ma$ u!e u !e the !ame !cience for generating viru! for b iological )arfare# It i! e!!ential a! in the ca!e of (hemical .eapon ! (onvention (.(B, a treat$ ha! to be in place for the elimination of biological )eapon!#
ince the entire )orld i! moving to)ard! a digital econom$, let u! !ee !ome of the topical i!!ue! a!!ociated )ith ($ber $!tem!# y5er Law ($ber la) i! an area )here man$ advance! are continuou!l$ taking place at a fa!t pace# I )ould like to cite a fe) e3ample!# 5o)ada$! nation! have electronicall$ connected all their economic, defen!e and nation national al !ecuri !ecurit$ t$ e!tabl e!tabli!h i!hmen ment! t! )hich )hich )ill )ill be the target target for c$ber attack! attack! during during a
conflict or to create in!tabilitie!# In the pre!ent la), for e3ample, the -uri!diction )ill corre!pond to the location )here the crime i! committed and )here the damage occur! ver$ often both being the !ame location# .herea! in the digital )orld, the crime ma$ orig origin inat atee from from a !tra !trang ngee plac placee even even out! out!id idee nati nation on! ! !hor !hore! e! and and ma$ ma$ dama damage ge organi1ational )ealth )hich )ill be in the digital form in multiple location!# In the )orld of c$ber crime!, the di!tinction bet)een fun and crime, accidental and premeditated offence! and even indirect and in!inuated crime! become blurred# In !uch !ituation!, the -udge!, the la)$er!, the police p olice and the la) officer! o fficer! !hould be trained to be a)are of !uch po!!ibilitie! of technolog$ centric crime much the !ame )a$ the$ have been trained to under!tand under!tand crime in the ph$!ical )orld# )orld# In the ab!ence ab!ence of !uch a)arene!! a)arene!! programme, a countr$ countr$ can be defeated defeated even )ithout a mi!!ile mi!!ile or aircraft aircraft attack -u!t through through intelligent intelligent c$ber )ar# @ence it i! e!!ential to generate a !imulation model of the connected economic and defen!e !ecurit$ !$!tem a! a c$ber / electronic net)ork# %hi! )ill reveal the need for the evolution of a ne) polic$ )ith redundanc$ and re!triction of e3ternal connectivit$ and e3ternal partner!hip of certain vital e!tabli!hment!# ince the financial !$!tem i! and )ill be connected to )orld economic in!titution!, each countr$ ha! to implement a robu!t encr$ption !$!tem for all tran!action! through a national encr$ption polic$# In addition c$ber la)! have al!o to be derived ba!ed on the Information ecurit$ !tandard!# @o)ever )hen a block of countrie! )age a )ar again!t another block, relevance and validit$ of the!e !tandard! ha! to be revie)ed leading to the evolution of a ne) !tandard# In the globali1ed econom$ )e have to !trike a !ound balance bet)een protection of national intere!t and international partner!hip!# Another fa!t moving technological area i! Life cience! )hich need! a clo!e interaction bet)een legal and !cientific communit$ for evolving !uitable modification to the e3i!ting la)!# Life Sciences and Laws
A! $ou $ou are are a)ar a)are, e, ne) ne) techn technol ologi ogie! e! like like nano nanot tec echno hnolo log$, g$, bio biote tech chnol nolog og$ $ and and information technolog$ are ari!ing# %he!e technologie! are al!o converging a! a triad bio nanoinfo leading to nano robot!# 5ano robot! )hen the$ are in-ected on a patient, m$ e3pert friend! !a$, )ill deliver the treatment e3clu!ivel$ in the di!ea!ed area and then get dige!ted a! it i! 65A ba!ed# La)! related to !uch medical area! are about evolving moral code and for en!uring !afet$ of human live! to prevent unauthori1ed and unethical !$!tem! and practice!# Al!o in the medical area, )e are finding increa!ing application of !temcell! a! a curative proce!!# In thi! area ethic! are involved in the u!e of embr$onic cell! )hich have been found to be e3tremel$ efficient in curing certain di!ea!e!# %hi! i!!ue need! a careful !tud$ b$ legal, !ocial organi1ation! and medical communit$ -ointl$ for enacting appropriate la)!# 6uring one of the di!cu!!ion!, a ue!tion came, )hat i! m$ vie) on human cloning# I !aid, human cloning !hould not be done# %he human being of toda$ i! the re!ult of million! of $ear! of genetic engineering and the evolution particularl$ of the human mind!+ hence I believe human cloning !hould not be done# @o)ever, cloning of human component! !uch a! e$e, liver, pancrea! etc# can take place# @ere the la) ha! to be
evolved after vi!uali1ing the d$namic! of cloning on the component! and it! impact on the !ociet$# 3uman genome pro6ect 1 ethical issues
@uman genome pro-ect ha! led to the mapping of gene !euence of the human population acro!! the globe# %hi! )ill be the !tarting point for man$ overlapping di!coverie! of bio medical innovation! for man$ decade! to come# %he function of each of the '0,000 gene! indeed )ill lead to the under!tanding of ever$ a!pect of our life# 7roteomic re!earch in charact characteri eri1at 1ation ion of gene! gene! i! taking taking !hape# !hape# It ma$ even even lead lead to tailor tailorma made de medica medicall treatment to !uit the per!on! genetic make up dimini!hing the problem of un)anted drug !ide effect!# In our traditional holi!tic healing !$!tem, the !ame medicine i! not given to t)o different individual! having !ame di!ea!e# (u!tom built medicine i! reuired looking at the 7rakriti natureB of the individual# ;urther di!cover$ ma$ even lead to fine tuning of human evolution# *ut one of the big concern! i! the legal o)ner!hip of the human genome# %he conflict ha! to be re!olved nationall$ and internationall$# %he t$pical ue!tion! )hich come to our mind are the follo)ing: Who is the owner owner of the results results of the human genome projects and the results results of the proteomics proteomics research? Who should have access to personal genetic information, and how will it be used? Who owns and controls genetic information? How will will genetic tests be evaluated and regulated for accurac accuracy, y, reliab reliabili ility, ty, and utili utility? ty? hould hould parent parentss have the right right to have have their their minor minor children children tested tested for adult!onset adult!onset diseases? diseases? Are genetic tests reliable and interpretab interpretable le by the medical community? community? How do we as a society society balance current scientific scientific limitation limitationss and social ris"s with long!term long!term benefits? #hese issues concern the people of many parts of the world. world. #he judiciary judiciary community community and political political system of many countries countries should wor" wor" togeth together er to evolve evolve a method methodolo ology gy for developme development nt of this this techno technolog logyy without without violation of human rights. Science and .echnology and legal community
A number of benefit! have accrued to the legal communit$ it!elf due to the gro)th of cience and %echnolog$# %echnolog$# %he computeri1ed computeri1ed legal proceeding! proceeding! and record keeping keeping toda$ allo) much better communication and referral!# %elelegal activitie! have al!o found to be beneficial# Legal communitie! can al!o put their o)n demand! on technolog$# In India u!e of I(% in the -udicial !$!tem ha! !tarted reducing the pendenc$ of court ca!e!# Cne i!!ue bothering the !ociet$ toda$ i! application of video evidence and po!!ible doctoring of the !ame to be accepted a! a valid e3hibit# cienti!t! and technologi!t! have to find method! b$ )hich the po!!ibilit$ p o!!ibilit$ of tailored evidence i! eliminated# onclusion
%he norm! of la) and -u!tice have to be meaningfull$ vi!ible and d$namic a! !ocial and !cientific development! of toda$ outdate tho!e of $e!terda$# La) cannot remain in!ulated from from real realit it$ $ and it canno cannott be !hac !hackl kled ed to )hat )hat had had been been ordai ordaine ned d deca decade! de! ago# ago#
ha! to be properl$ recogni1ed and the !cope of -uri!prudence )idened, accelerated and upgraded accordingl$# La) ha! to be d$namic# Legal re!earch ha! to be an important activit$ for preparing the !$!tem for facing future challenge!# ver$ !ociet$ ha! la)! in one form or the other# %he ultimate aim of all la)! i! to en!ure that ever$ individual get! )hat i! rightful and righteou! !hare in all field! of human e3i!tence# 6enial of that right )ould amount to negation of the ver$ logic of civili1ed e3i!tence and a! !uch it i! imperative that !uch -u!tice !hould be available !peedil$, efficientl$ and )ithout having to !)eat it out# "$ be!t )i!he! to all the member! of Lincoln! Inn and other participant! for !ucce!! in their mi!!ion of evolving and implementing a legal !$!tem for accelerating the development of the nation in a d$namic !cientific and technological environment# "a$ Dod ble!! $ou# 6r# A7G Abdul Kalam, 29#08#2008
