At a Commonwealth Secretariat workshop on `Access to India', he remarked that such a trend had been observed in Mumbai, where delay in solving property-related issues resulted in the aggrieved parties approaching the mafia for a quick-fix solution. Besides, disillusionment with the slow pace of disposal of cases would lead to public acceptance of mafia and subversion of law, he said.

Sorabjee outlined a number of causes for the delay in the disposal of cases. In a large number of cases, judges procrastinated by using the dreaded `four-letter word' STAY, he said.

``Some judges do not even work for full five hours,'' he added. He also rued the tendency of the Government to keep the posts of judges vacant.

Non-filling of vacancies also prevented expeditious disposal of cases in manytribunals and lower courts, he remarked. The Attorney General suggested that judicial appointments should be made solely on the basis of integrity and ability. Otherwise, the quality of justice would come down, he added.

He, however, was all praise for the way the law had been interpreted by the Supreme Court, allowing any person to approach the court on behalf of an aggrieved person.

Earlier, only an aggrieved party could approach the court. Now, with the courts allowing others to appeal for an aggrieved party, a large number of suffering people, like quarry workers and children employed in hazardous industries had got the desired relief, he said.