Chief Justice of India Surya Kant formed a Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee to assess court infrastructure nationwide and recommend funding reforms. The panel will submit a report by August 31, with the judiciary reportedly considering seeking Rs 40,000–50,000 crore for modernization and development projects.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has constituted a Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee to undertake a nationwide assessment of the infrastructural needs of courts and formulate recommendations for substantial financial support to strengthen the justice delivery system across the country.
The committee has been entrusted with the task of preparing a comprehensive report identifying deficiencies in judicial infrastructure and estimating future requirements. The report is to be submitted by August 31 to Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Economic Advisory Council.
The initiative comes amid growing concern within the judiciary over inadequate court infrastructure, shortage of courtroom facilities, overcrowding in district courts, insufficient digital resources and the lack of proper working conditions for judicial officers and court staff. The Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasised that modernisation of court infrastructure is essential for reducing case backlog and improving access to justice.
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According to the proposal under consideration, the judiciary may seek an allocation in the range of Rs 40,000 crore to Rs 50,000 crore from the government for infrastructure development and technological modernization of courts across India.
Justice Aravind Kumar has been appointed chairperson of the committee. The panel also includes Justice Debangsu Basak of the Calcutta High Court, Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan of the Bombay High Court.
Apart from members of the judiciary, the committee also comprises the Director General of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and the Secretary General of the Supreme Court of India.
The committee has been assigned a broad mandate covering multiple aspects of judicial infrastructure and court administration.
Among its primary responsibilities is identifying the practical and infrastructural constraints faced by various stakeholders involved in the justice delivery system, including judges, lawyers, litigants, court staff and visitors.
The panel will also examine the adequacy of existing facilities and recommend measures for creating better courtroom infrastructure, litigant-friendly spaces and modern amenities within court premises.
Another major area of focus will be the use of technology to facilitate faster disposal of cases and improve efficiency in judicial administration. This includes recommendations relating to digitisation and computerisation of courts as part of the ongoing e-courts initiative.
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The committee has additionally been tasked with suggesting citizen-centric technological services aimed at bridging the digital divide and improving accessibility for litigants who may lack technological resources or digital literacy.
The mandate further includes planning and development of modern court complexes with updated infrastructure and improved security arrangements.
Improving the working environment and facilities available to judicial officers and court staff also forms an important part of the committee’s responsibilities.
The formation of the committee is being viewed as part of a broader effort by the judiciary to push for long-term infrastructural reforms and secure sustained financial investment in the judicial system, particularly at the district judiciary level where a significant portion of India’s case backlog remains concentrated.
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