India, Dec. 3 -- The Madras High Court on Wednesday lamented that despite having "vast powers," courts lack the ability to ensure compliance with their own orders.

Justice GR Swaminathan of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court said that a court's judgment has little meaning if it cannot be enforced. The judge also cited a previous judgement of the Kerala High Court to say that the judiciary, though it has vast constitutional powers, lacks its own machinery to implement its orders.

In a constitutional system founded on the rule of law, Justice Swaminathan said, the "State's failure to carry out court directions would erode that foundation and could even lead to a constitutional stalemate."

The judge made the remarks while criticis...