The Centre told the Supreme Court that issues such as lack of proper infrastructure to cater to the growing need of the judiciary and the bar in the national capital can be looked into in consultation with the apex court registry. A bench comprising Justice Vineet Saran and JK Maheshwari termed as horrible the crowd situation in the apex court corridor, and said something can be done by the central government.
- Demand for Judicial Vista: The situation arose while the bench comprising of Justice Vineet Saran and JK Maheshwari termed as “horrible” the crowd situation in the apex court corridor and said something can be done by the Central Government. The apex court was a hearing a petition for creating Judicial Vista. “We do not go around in the corridors. It is horrible. Something has to be done by the Centre” the apex court said, adding it’s not for the court to solve the problem.
- Centre to coordinate with Registry on issue: The Supreme Court took note of the submissions and said the problems pointed out in the petition can be looked into by the Centre in consultation with the Supreme Court registry and petitioner lawyer and listed the PIL for hearing on July 20.
- PIL on judicial vista: The top court, on March 8, had sought responses of the Centre and the apex court’s registry on a PIL filed by bar leader Ardhendumauli Kumar Prasad seeking the development of a “judicial vista” near the apex court premises to cater to the growing need of judicial infrastructure for all courts including the subordinate judiciary, tribunals, the Delhi High Court and the bar in the national capital. PIL seeks judicial vista on similar line of Central Vista. It has sought the construction of a large multi-level complex of courtrooms with 45 to 50 courtrooms with video conferencing facilities and adequate seating facilities for lawyers, litigants, law clerks, and interns. It has also sought the construction of a multi-level complex having around 5000 chambers for senior advocates, advocates-on-record, and advocates along with requisite facilities. Besides, the plea had also sought proportionate creche facilities to cater to the several women working in the registry and women lawyers.
- CJI highlighting the concern: Chief Justice of India, N.V. Ramana, recently proposed creation of a National Judicial Infrastructure Authority of India (NJIAI), which will take control of the budgeting and infrastructure development of subordinate courts in the country.
- April 30, 2022 Status: Chief Justice of India NV Ramana’s push for the National Judicial Infrastructure Corporation (NJIC) has the backing of only eight states so far and other states are yet to respond. According to the agenda note for joint conference of the chief ministers and chief justices of the high courts, states like West Bengal, Mizoram, Sikkim, Puducherry, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana and Uttarakhand are in full agreement with CJI’s proposal, that aims to boost judicial infrastructure.
- Data compiled: The Registry of Supreme Court of India has compiled data on the status of judicial infrastructure and court amenities. A proposal has been received from Chief Justice of India for setting up of National Judicial Infrastructure Authority of India (NJIAI) for arrangement of adequate infrastructure for courts, as per which there will be a Governing Body with Chief Justice of India as Patron-in-Chief. The other salient features of the proposal are that NJIAI will act as a Central body in laying down the road map for planning, creation, development, maintenance and management of functional infrastructure for the Indian Court System, besides identical structures under all the High Courts. The proposal, as received from the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, has been sent to the various State Government/UTs, as they constitute an important stakeholder, for their views on the contours of the proposal to enable taking a considered view on the matter.
“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 function,”
-Chief Justice Ramana said on October 23 while inaugurating an extension wing building of the Bombay High Court Bench at Aurangabad.
“The lack of judicial infrastructure, that is courtrooms, basic amenities, etc. for judges, advocates and litigants across the country, in the subordinate judiciary and tribunals, is a very serious issue, and the lack of autonomy of the judiciary in the matter, and the dependence on the Central Government and the State Government, defeats the cause of judicial independence,” the plea said.
HON’BLE MR JUSTICE VINEET SARAN
Judge Supreme Court of India
HON’BLE MR JUSTICE J K MAHESHWARI
Judge Supreme Court of India
SOURCE: ECONOMIC TIMES
