The Bell of 32

Recently the Supreme Court had asked a petitioner who had approached the Court under Article 32 seeking protection against police action, to approach the High Court by way of Article 226. RAJU Z MORAY pens a poem lamenting how the judicial process makes a person facing police custody run from one court to another. The SC asks the petitioner to approach the High Court and the High Court, in turn, tells the petitioner to knock on the Magistrate's door.

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For those persecuted

With no relief in view

The fundamental remedy

Is the trusted Article 32

But they are baffled

Find themselves in a fix

When mighty Milords say

You go and dial 226

The custodians of 226

Often with blinkered vision

Are adept at advising

Go and explore a Revision

And no one can enter there

By simply walking in straight

One first knocks on the door

Of a First Class Magistrate

Before the Hon'ble Magistrate

The cops are eager for custody

While lawyers cite case-law

On something called Liberty…

The Nation already knows

Where to go and what to do

But the watchdog may bite

Others who ring the bell of 32!

(Raju Z Moray is an advocate who practices law in the Bombay High Court when not puncturing bloated egos. He is the creator of 'Gobble D. Gook', his alter-ego, who figured in the 'Court Jester' columns of 'The Lawyers'.)