Time has come for Samaynishth Bharat

Time and tide, we are told, wait for no man. And, yet, time, if not tide, is a sensitive topic for time-agnostic Indians across the socioeconomic and occupational spectrum, from president to the delivery agent to the government school teacher. Not too long ago, a Supreme Court ruling set timelines for governors and the president to grant assent to Bills passed by legislatures. The idea was to counter delays - unavoidable or otherwise - and pile-ups of pending laws. Neither governors (ex-governors, included) or president seem to have taken kindly to the court's timely concern regarding timelines. While commentaries have spouted on the impropriety of the court trying to impose deadlines on these statutory worthies, there is a real need to recognise the efficacy of having timelines in place - and repairing the well-entrenched cultural notion of IST, or Indian Stretchable Time.

IST is a malaise cutting through occupations, professions and sectors, and its normalisation - indeed, defence - is a blot on our society. The bane of systemic tardiness affects consumers and users of entities from Urban Company and Zomato/Swiggy, to airlines and public infrastructure. Bengaluru alone reportedly suffers an annual loss of ₹20k cr due to traffic congestion-related delay. Time is money, and delayed justice can, indeed, be its denial.

This week, the same apex court that has miffed elements of the executive, indicated that it could ask Supreme Court lawyers to furnish a timeline in advance within which they would conclude their arguments in cases. This is well within its remit. But punctuality must become mission mode beyond courts. Like Swachh Bharat pertaining to public hygiene, India needs a 'Samaynishth Bharat' programme. As soon as possible.