Today, On 31st January, Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna remarked a plan to address the growing backlog of cases in Indian courts. With 82,445 cases pending in the Supreme Court and millions more in lower courts, the issue demands urgent attention. The upcoming conference will focus on practical solutions to speed up case disposal. Key discussions will focus on judicial reforms, technology adoption, and procedural efficiency.
New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna launched an initiative aimed at addressing the backlog of pending cases in courts nationwide, which includes exploring the possibility of evening courts.
As part of this initiative, the Supreme Court will host a conference on February 1.
With 82,445 cases pending in the Supreme Court alone and millions more in lower courts, the conference is expected to concentrate on practical solutions to expedite case resolution. Chief Justices from all High Courts, one senior judge from each High Court, and two senior judges from the district judiciary have been invited to share their insights.
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The conference will feature four sessions, each addressing critical areas impacting judicial efficiency. The agenda has been crafted under the guidance of Chief Justice Khanna, with contributions from senior Supreme Court judges Justice Bhushan R. Gavai and Justice Surya Kant.
The first session, chaired by Chief Justice Khanna, will assess the National Court Management System (NCMS) Committee’s 2024 action plan. Discussions will focus on identifying key challenges to case disposal, strategies for expediting case resolutions at various levels, the feasibility of implementing evening courts to manage increased caseloads, and enhancing the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism.
The second session, led by Justice B.R. Gavai, will emphasize the integration of technology to improve efficiency, including expanding the use of digital court software, e-filing systems, and virtual courts, as well as enhancing video conferencing capabilities.
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The third session, chaired by Justice Kant, will address human resources, discussing timely and institutionalized recruitment of judicial officers and court staff, along with the establishment of a permanent IT and Data Cadre in High Courts and lower courts.
An additional session, led by Chief Justice Khanna, will focus on the professional development of lawyers, highlighting the need for regular training programs and a standardized curriculum for judicial training across states.
Senior Supreme Court judges, including Justice Abhay S. Oak, Justice B.V. Nagarathna, Justice Dipankar Dutta, Justice P.S. Narasimha, Justice K.V. Vishwanathan, Justice J.K. Maheshwari, Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, Justice Vikram Nath, Justice M.M. Sundresh, and Justice Bela M. Trivedi, will also participate in the discussions.
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