Chief Justice of India Establishes ‘Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee’ to Drive Nationwide Court Modernisation
(Judicial Quest News Network)
12 May 2026-In a landmark move aimed at transforming the physical and technological landscape of India’s justice delivery system, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has constituted a high-level “Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee” tasked with preparing a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen judicial infrastructure across the country.
The initiative signals a determined push by the Supreme Court to secure substantial governmental support for upgrading court facilities from the ground up.
According to a communication dated May 8, 2026, issued by Supreme Court Secretary General Bharat Parashar, the committee has been formed to assess and articulate the infrastructural needs of the Indian judiciary, with a particular emphasis on obtaining adequate funding to the tune of Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 50,000 crores from the government.
The findings and proposals of this committee are slated to be formally presented to Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Economic Advisory Council, underlining the significance and urgency with which the highest court views this endeavour.
Committee Composition
Justice Aravind Kumar of the Supreme Court has been appointed as Chairperson of the committee.
The panel includes Justice Debangsu Basak of the Calcutta High Court, Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan of the Bombay High Court, and the Director General of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD).
The Secretary General of the Supreme Court will serve as Member Secretary. The composition reflects a thoughtful blend of judicial seniority and technical expertise, ensuring that the committee’s recommendations are both legally sound and practically implementable.
Scope of the Mandate
The committee has been entrusted with a wide-ranging mandate that goes well beyond mere brick-and-mortar concerns.
It is required to identify the infrastructural constraints currently burdening the justice delivery system and to suggest facilities needed for judges, court staff, lawyers, litigants, and visitors alike.
On the technology front, the committee has been directed to recommend suitable technological infrastructure that would enable faster exchange of information and help reduce delays in case disposal.
It will also propose measures for the computerisation of courts as part of the e-courts initiative, suggest citizen-centric services to make justice more inclusive, and recommend steps to bridge the growing digital divide.
Further, the panel will examine possibilities for establishing modern court complexes and improving working conditions for judicial officers and administrative staff, with the overarching goal of enhancing efficiency across the entire justice delivery ecosystem.
Timeline
The committee has been requested to submit its interim report by August 31, 2026 a tight but purposeful deadline that reflects the urgency of the reform agenda the Chief Justice is championing.
This initiative is widely seen as a decisive step toward building a judiciary that is not only independent and impartial, but also well-equipped, digitally empowered, and accessible to every citizen of India.
