Chief Justice of India Justice N.V. Ramana, CM Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray and Law minister Kiren Rijiju at the inauguration of the High Court Annexe Building at Aurangabad
Nothing that judicial infrastructure is important for improving access to justice, Chief Justice of India N V Ramana on Saturday said several courts do not have proper facilities and courts function out of dilapidated buildings. CJI Ramana was speaking at the inauguration of two wings of the annexe building at the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court.
The CJI also mentioned that it is baffling to note that judicial infrastructure improvement and maintenance was being carried out in an 'ad-hoc' and 'unplanned manner' in the country'
Noting that an effective judiciary can help in the growth of the economy, the CJI said courts are extremely essential for any society that is governed by rule of law.
"We are faced with certain hard facts like several courts do not have proper facilities. Some courts function out of dilapidated buildings. Judicial infrastructure is important for improving access to justice. It is baffling to note that the improvement and maintenance of judicial infrastructure is still being carried out in an ad-hoc and unplanned manner," CJI Ramana added.
He further said that the building that was inaugurated at Aurangabad on Saturday was envisioned in 2011. "That it has taken 10 years for this vision to be implemented is extremely worrisome. This is a deeper problem that has plugged our judicial infrastructure planning in our country since the Independence," the CJI said.
"An effective judiciary can aid in the effective growth of the economy," he said.
The CJI said he has sent a proposal for the establishment of the National Judicial Infrastructural Authority to the Union Minister of Law and Justice, and added that he was hoping for a positive response and the issue is taken up during the upcoming winter session of the Parliament.
