CJI Surya Kant Forms Panel To Review Judicial Infrastructure Across India

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has constituted a Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee to evaluate the infrastructural requirements of courts across the country and recommend measures to strengthen the justice delivery system.

Headed by Supreme Court judge Justice Aravind Kumar, the committee has been tasked with preparing a nationwide assessment of judicial infrastructure needs. It will likely support a proposal seeking a government allocation of around Rs 40,000-50,000 crore for the sector.

The court directed submission of an interim report by August 31.

Apart from Justice Aravind Kumar, the panel includes Justice Debangsu Basak, Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan as members.

The Director General of the CPWD and the Secretary General of the Supreme Court will also be part of the committee, with the latter serving as Member Secretary.

The committee will likely identify infrastructural gaps in courts and recommend measures to modernise judicial facilities and improve efficiency in the administration of justice. Its focus areas include addressing constraints faced by judges, lawyers, litigants and visitors, besides suggesting technology-driven interventions for faster disposal of cases.

The panel will also examine issues related to computerisation under the e-Courts initiative, citizen-centric digital services, modern court complexes and improved working conditions for judicial officers and court staff.

The development comes amid a renewed push for judicial digitisation under the e-Courts Mission Mode Project.

The Centre has allocated Rs 7,210 crore for Phase-III of the project for 2023-2027 to transform courts into digital and paperless institutions.

Earlier this year, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, chaired by Rajya Sabha MP Brij Lal, flagged delays in fund utilisation by states and deficiencies in digital infrastructure and network connectivity across courts.

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