Peaceful, and dignified, human societies cannot base their survival only on higher ethics, and fine conventions. Law is one of the strongest defences that the human societies have developed. Throughout human history we seen the legal codes, and the institutional mechanisms to enforce those codes, acting stridently to keep the evil, and disruptive elements at bay. If the dogs of disruption, the beasts of crime, and the demons of transgression are not leashed through the instrument of law, the very existence of a human society would become an impossibility. In the modern states, where democracy is a cardinal principle of mutual existence, legal institutions acquire core importance. We have seen in many countries how the political power sometimes tries to derail the democratic processes, but the judiciary comes to the rescue of the people. This is the reason that judiciary is considered as the guard and guarantor of the constitutional rights, and the securities that follow. For this role, judiciary must be applauded. This is a phenomenon world over that when, in a particular situation, human liberties, and civil rights are infringed upon, courts put the foot down and resist any erosion of the legal framework. It happened in the US recently, and it has happened in India in the past.
The judgement passed by the Pathankot Court acquires importance as it instills confidence in a commoner that the mechanism of delivering justice exists in this part of the world. It is a moment of relief in more than one way. It firmly establishes the role of judiciary, and also vindicates the stand that if different institutions of governance work efficiently, and honestly, we can fight the unscrupulous elements in our society. It also drops a stern message to all that law can not be taken for granted, and victims can take recourse to judiciary to ensure that the justice is done. For any living society this is supremely important. Any breach here sound a death knell to a decent human society.