The Centre is yet to respond to some of the issues, such as setting up a Judicial Infrastructure Corporation and financial help to lawyers who lost livelihood due to Covid-19, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said on Sunday.
Inaugurating a court complex, Ramana said although the proposals for setting up a Judicial Infrastructure Corporation and mobile internet facilities in rural areas were sent in July and June, respectively, the proposals have not been translated into action. He, however, said he was hopeful that the Centre would bring in legislation in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament for creating the Judicial Infrastructure Corporation.
"I asked the Centre to financially help families of lawyers who lost their livelihood due to Covid. There is no proper response from the government so far. With regards to the creation of infrastructure, there is no response either. I raise these issues whenever I get a chance at various forums when the Prime Minister and President are present," Ramana said.
In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju recently said a proposal has been received from the Chief Justice of India (CJI) for setting up a National Judicial Infrastructure Authority of India for the arrangement of adequate infrastructure for courts.
"The three main issues in the country are lack of basic infrastructure, to increase the number of judges and financial help to deserving lawyers. Only when we overcome these problems can we reach out to people. There would be a meaning to 'access to justice'," Ramana said.
Over the issue of case pile-up, the CJI said that besides a shortage of judges, lack of necessary infrastructure is also an issue. He said that without providing the necessary infrastructure, expecting judges and lawyers sitting in dilapidated court buildings to deliver justice is not fair.
Justice Ramana said he wrote to the Centre and the law minister seeking setting up of mobile network on vans to facilitate lawyers in rural areas to attend court duties virtually.
According to him, although lawyers who can afford it and those in cities and towns will be able to attend courts through videoconferencing, advocates in rural areas and who cannot afford the network would eventually lose their profession.
"If necessary, the government can rope in a big corporate to set up network stations under corporate social responsibility funds so that they can attend court duties virtually. The suggestion so far has not translated into action. I am waiting for the government to do something about it," the CJI said.
He said many states in the country are shying away from allocating funds to build court complexes. He, however, appreciated the Telangana government for sanctioning funds to build a complex without waiting for the Central government to release funds.
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