Blaming poor infrastructure as one of the key factors derailing the justice delivery mechanism in the country, the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana has called for the setting up of a national judicial infrastructure authority.
“Institutionalizing a mechanism for augmenting and creating state-of-the-art judicial infrastructure is the best gift we can give our people and country in the 75th year of independence,” he said. The CJI has proposed the creation of the national judicial infrastructure authority to the law and justice ministry. “I am hoping for a positive response soon,” he said.
Chief Justice Ramana said it was baffling that court infrastructure improvement and maintenance of court buildings were still being carried out in an ad hoc, unplanned manner. “Good judicial infrastructure for courts in India has always been an afterthought. It is because of this mindset that courts in India still operate from dilapidated structures, making it difficult to effectively perform their functions,” he said. “Judicial infrastructure is important for improving access to justice and to meet the growing demands of the public that is more aware of its rights and is developing economically, socially and culturally.”
The CJI highlighted that the courts are not merely structures made of mortar and bricks as it actively assures the constitutional guarantee of Right to Justice. “Courts in India have repeatedly upheld the rights and freedoms of individuals. They stood up whenever the individual or society has been at the receiving end of executive excesses. It is an assurance that the seeker of justice, however weak, need not worry about the might of the state,” he said. “An effective judiciary can aid in the effective growth of the economy.”
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According to an international research paper published in 2018, failure to deliver timely justice cost the economy as much as 9% of the GDP. Chief Justice Ramana said the impact of an under-supported judiciary is also seen on foreign investments. “Without adequate infrastructure, we cannot aspire to fill this gap. If we want a different outcome from the system, we cannot continue to work in these circumstances.”
The CJI believes financial autonomy of the judiciary was integral to any plan to change the status quo.
