Context:

The Supreme Court refused to entertain a plea seeking a direction to the Centre, states and UTs to set up expert committees to improve India’s “pathetic” 69th global ranking on the Rule of Law Index (RLI).

About:

• The World Justice Project Rule of Law Index is the world’s leading source for original, independent data on the rule of law.
• Covering 128 countries and jurisdictions, the Index relies on national surveys of more than 130,000 households and 4,000 legal practitioners and experts to measure how the rule of law is experienced and perceived worldwide.
• It is based on a nation’
• Performance on factors such as government openness, fundamental rights, civil and criminal justice, and containing corruption.
• The World Justice Project defines the ‘rule of law’ system as one in which the following four universal principles are upheld:
  • The government and its officials and agents are accountable under the law
  • The laws are clear, publicized, stable and fair, and protect fundamental rights, including the security of persons and property
• The process by which the laws are enacted, administered, and enforced is accessible, efficient, and fair.
• Justice is delivered by competent, ethical, and independent representatives and neutrals who are of sufficient number, have adequate resources, and reflect the makeup of the communities they serve.
• The nation’s ranking in the Index
  • Confirms poor performance in eight sectors-
  • Constraints on government powers
  • Absence of corruption
  • Open government
  • Fundamental rights
  • Public order and security
  • Regulatory enforcement
  • Civil and criminal justice.