Justice delivery system must evolve with changing nature of litigation: CJI

Gurugram, Jul 12 (PTI) Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Sunday inaugurated the 'Tower of Justice' judicial complex in Gurugram, emphasising that the justice delivery system must evolve with the changing nature of litigation. According to an official statement, the event was attended by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. The CJI also advocated establishing integrated district court complexes across Haryana on the lines of Uttar Pradesh, saying that more courts will enhance judicial capacity, particularly in commercial disputes and cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act. The new facility houses 55 modern courtrooms compared to 45 in the earlier one, and the complex has been equipped with facilities such as video-conferencing and a judicial record room with a proposed International Arbitration Centre, functioning under the supervision of the high court, the statement said. Justice Kant said that the construction of the 'Tower of Justice' creates an environment for the administration of justice. At the same event, he also virtually laid the foundation stone of the Tauru and Punhana Judicial Complexes in Nuh district. He also recalled his privilege of performing the groundbreaking ceremony of this judicial complex while serving as a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in January 2017. The courts in Gurugram city, which has regional offices of more than half of the Fortune 500 companies, are dealing with more than 24,000 civil disputes, nearly 1,000 commercial disputes and over one lakh cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act. He expressed confidence that the Tower of Justice, built on seven acres of land, would emerge as a symbol of justice for every citizen. Saini said that the judicial complex is a symbol of the Constitution's dignity and the unwavering faith of citizens in the justice delivery system. "The establishment of a modern judicial complex in such a city will further strengthen and improve the justice delivery system," he said. Coincidentally, he said, the building, whose foundation was laid in 2017 by Kant, who was Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, was inaugurated by him on Sunday. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, he said that along with ease of doing business, equal importance must be given to ease of justice. He said that this judicial complex, developed in two towers -- on the land of Guru Dronacharya and Mata Sheetla Devi -- is among North India's largest judicial complexes. Saini also announced that a portion of the old judicial complex will be earmarked for the construction of modern chambers for advocates. Khattar said, "With the increasing number of cases in a rapidly developing district like Gurugram, there was a pressing need for a modern judicial complex equipped with world-class facilities." Meghwal called it an important milestone in the collective commitment to making the justice delivery system more accessible, effective and citizen-centric. Referring to the PM's mantra of "Reform, Perform and Transform", he said that a modern, transparent and robust justice system is indispensable for building a developed India. "The central government is continuously strengthening the infrastructure of subordinate courts to accelerate judicial reforms. Through initiatives such as e-Courts, e-Filing, e-Prosecution, e-Prisons, e-Forensics, e-Seva Kendras, digital payments and national judicial digital systems, the justice delivery process is becoming simpler, safer and faster," he said in the statement. Union Minister of State Rao Inderjit Singh, who was also present during the occasion, said that the PM's vision of Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living can be realised only when every citizen has access to timely and affordable justice. According to Singh, since 2014, more than 1,500 obsolete laws have been repealed, and via reforms, including the Jan Vishwas Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, National Judicial Data Grid, e-Filing, AI-based case management, and the expansion of commercial courts are playing a significant role in reducing pendency. "As Gurugram rapidly emerges as the country's economic capital, the city has now received judicial infrastructure befitting its growing stature and requirements", added Singh. Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra paid his gratitude to the thousands of construction workers, masons, engineers and support staff for their role in this project. PTI COR SHS SHS