New Delhi: Our legal system has made life too easy for criminals and too difficult for the law abiding citizens, the Supreme Court said on Friday, referring to the "dilatory tactics" of the L N Mishra murder case accused in dragging its trial for the last 37 years.

A bench of justices H L Dattu and C K Prasad said the judiciary is not to be blamed for the delay in completion of the trial and it is the accused who have dragged it for so many years.

"We have given our consideration to the submissions made by the counsel for the accused who have repeatedly emphasised that this case is a unique case and this court has not seen such a case earlier and may not see in future.

"We do not intend to comment on this statement. We can only observe, that, our legal system has made life too easy for criminals and too difficult for law abiding citizens," the bench said.

"We should certainly give credit to our judicial officers, who have painstakingly suffered with all the dilatory tactics adopted by the accused in dragging on with the proceedings for nearly thirty seven years.

They are not to be blamed at all. In fact, they do deserve appreciation while conducting such trials...," the court said.