Sufficient Judicial Infrastructure Can Help Improve Access to Justice: CJI Justice NV Ramana
(Judicial Quest News Network)
Chief Justice of India Justice NV Ramana on Saturday said the importance of strengthening judicial infrastructure cannot be overstated.
He emphasised that importance of strengthening judicial infrastructure cannot be overstated. Sufficient judicial infrastructure can help improve access to justice, by catering to the ever-rising number of cases and litigants, and their changing needs.
Chief Justice of India Ramana was speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the new National Law University,Multi-Level parking and Advocate’s Chamber Complex, and the unveiling of the portrait of the legendry advocate Late Anand Bhushan Saran, the father of Supreme Court Judge Vineet Saran.
Justice Ramana said, “Courts in India still operate from dilapidated structures, without proper facilities. Such a situation is severely detrimental to the experience of litigants and lawyers. It is an unpleasant work environment for Court staff and Judges, making it difficult to effectively perform their functions. We neglected and failed to focus on providing good infrastructure for Court in India after the British left.”
That is the reason why I am championing the National Judicial Infrastructure Corporation, which will develop concepts of the National Court Development Project and its implementation.
He said the pendency of Criminal cases in the Allahabad High Court is “Very Worrying”
He has also expressed his worry in the presence of President Ram Nath Kovind, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, Supreme Court and High Court Judges
Th event was also attended by President Ram Nath Kovind, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Allahabad High Court Acting Chief Justice Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari, Uttar Pradesh Governor AnandibenPatel, Supreme Court Judges and Senior officials, among dignitaries.
The CJI reminded those present about 150-year-old history of the Allahabad High Court and its legacy producing some of the greatest luminaries in the Country.
This Bar has left an indelible mark in India’s freedom struggle and the drafting of our Constitution. I expect you to carry forward the extraordinary legacy, tradition and culture of this historic bar. I urge you all, to take a lead in protecting the rights, liberties and freedoms of the citizens. Chief Justice Ramana Said.
According to a affidavit filed by UP government in the apex Court in August, The Allahabad High Court has 1.83 lakh pending criminal appeals. The High Court has 68 Judicial vacancies of a total sanctioned strength of 160 Judges, according to the department of Justice Statics as on September1.
The CJI further said that the courts in India still operate from dilapidated structures, without proper facilities. Such a situation is severely detrimental to the experience of litigants and lawyers. It is an unpleasant work environment for Court staff and Judges, making it difficult to effectively perform their functions. We neglected and failed to focus on providing good infrastructure for Court in India after the British left.
Union Minister for Law & Justice Kiren Rijiju said that government intends to table a new bill on mediation and wants to strengthen the judiciary.
Quality Legal Education Need of the Hour President
The President said that quality legal education plays an important role in strengthening the rule of law-based system. World class legal education is one of the priorities of our society and country. In this era of knowledge economy, the ambitious policy of becoming a knowledge super-power is being implemented in our country. Establishment of Uttar Pradesh National Law University is a step forward in this direction.
President Kovind Referring to the Allahabad High Court’s historic
decision to enrol India’s first woman lawyer, Ms. Cornelia Sorabjee in 1921, the President termed that decision a forward-looking decision in the direction of women empowerment. He said that last month, a new history was created of the women’s participation in the judiciary with the appointment of nine judges, including three women judges, in the Supreme Court. He noted that the presence of four women judges out of the total 33 judges appointed in the Supreme Court is the highest ever in the history of the judiciary.
