India, Aug. 14 -- The Supreme Court's recent push to clear execution backlogs has shown that much can be achieved through existing judicial powers, without waiting for Parliament. But it has also exposed a deeper problem: unless courts can ensure timely compliance, justice may be delivered yet remain beyond the reach of those who have won it

A litigant who obtains a civil decree after spending ten or fifteen years in court often discovers that the real battle begins after judgment. The decree-holder may spend several more years merely trying to secure compliance with the very order that has conclusively recognised his rights. For many litigants, the verdict is not the end of litigation but an entry ticket to another queue.

India's justi...