Yesterday, On 10th August, The Chief Justice of India (CJI) stressed the need to enhance infrastructure in courts to address the backlog of pending cases. Emphasizing the importance of modernizing court facilities, the CJI highlighted that improved infrastructure is crucial for the efficient administration of justice.
Chandigarh : Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on Saturday emphasized the need to enhance court infrastructure to tackle the backlog of cases, while also highlighting the adoption of various methods, such as Lok Adalats, to reduce the number of pending cases.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 37th convocation of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), the CJI mentioned the integration of modern technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to translate court judgments into regional languages, making them more accessible to the public.
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Addressing a query about the backlog of cases, CJI Chandrachud drew a parallel with hospitals, stating,
“Just as the number of patients in hospitals increases due to people’s trust, the number of cases in courts rises because of people’s faith in the judiciary.”
He added,
“To address this, we need to expand infrastructure. Just as hospitals require more facilities, so do the courts.”
The CJI also pointed out the significance of adopting new approaches, noting that a special Lok Adalat held last week resolved around 1,000 cases in just five days. He further mentioned that during this year’s summer vacation, 21 Supreme Court benches heard approximately 4,000 cases, with 1,170 of them being disposed of.
Discussing language barriers, CJI Chandrachud acknowledged that English is predominantly used in court proceedings, which can be challenging for the general public. He shared that, with the aid of AI, court judgments are being translated into regional languages.
He said,
“From 1950 to 2024, there are approximately 37,000 Supreme Court verdicts, of which 22,000 have been translated into Punjabi and more than 36,000 into Hindi. We are working on translating these verdicts into all languages,”
The CJI also highlighted the live streaming of Supreme Court hearings as one of the technological initiatives aimed at increasing transparency.
On the issue of a shortage of judges, CJI Chandrachud noted that it is not easy to create the necessary infrastructure in states like Uttar Pradesh, where the Allahabad High Court has a sanctioned strength of 160 judges. While there is currently no vacancy in the Supreme Court, with 34 judges serving during his tenure, the CJI emphasized the importance of filling vacancies in the district judiciary, urging high courts and state governments to take action on this front.
CJI Chandrachud acknowledged the challenges posed by the shortage of judges, particularly in high courts with large sanctioned strengths. He reiterated the importance of filling vacancies, especially in the district judiciary, and urged high courts and state governments to prioritize this issue.
Chief Justice Chandrachud‘s remarks highlights a comprehensive approach to tackling the issue of case pendency, combining infrastructural enhancements, technological innovation, and strategic use of alternative dispute resolution methods.
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