Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary

• 15 Jul 2021

Why in News

The Union Government has approved continuation of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary for further five years to 2026 at a total cost of Rs. 9000 crore.

• Rs.50 crore will be allocated for Gram Nyayalayas Scheme through National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms.

National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms

• Launch: It was approved by the Union Government in June 2011.
• Objective: To increase access to justice by reducing delays and arrears in the system and enhance accountability through structural changes and by

Key Points

• About:
  
  • CSS for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary has been in operation since 1993-94.
  • This proposal for continuation of the CSS will help in construction of 3800 court halls and 4000 residential units (both new and ongoing projects) for judicial officers of District and Subordinate Courts, 1450 lawyer halls, 1450 toilets complexes and 3800 digital computer rooms.
  • This will help in improving the functioning and performance of the Judiciary in the country and will be a new step towards building better courts for a new India.
  • The upgraded “Nyaya Vikas-2.0” web portal and mobile application is used for monitoring physical and financial progress of CSS judicial infrastructure projects by geo-tagging completed and ongoing projects.
• Gram Nyayalayas:
  
  • Gram Nyayalayas or village courts are established under the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 for speedy and easy access to the justice system in the rural areas of India.
  • The Act came into force from 2nd October 2009.
  • Jurisdiction:
    
    • A Gram Nyayalaya has jurisdiction over an area specified by a notification by the State Government in consultation with the respective High Court.
    • The Court can function as a mobile court at any place within the jurisdiction of such Gram Nyayalaya, after giving wide publicity to that regard.
    • They have both civil and criminal jurisdiction over the offences.
  • Monitoring:
    
    • The Gram Nyayalaya Portal helps online monitoring of working of the Gram Nyayalayas by the implementing states.
• Issues related to Judiciary in India:
  
  • The judge-population ratio in the country is not very appreciable.
    
    • While for the other countries, the ratio is about 50-70 judges per million people, in India it is 20 judges per million heads.
  • It is only since the pandemic that the court proceedings have started to take place virtually too, earlier the role of technology in the judiciary was not much larger.
  • The posts in the judiciary are not filled up as expeditiously as required.
    
    • The process of judicial appointment is delayed due to delay in recommendations by the collegium for the higher judiciary.
    • Delay in recruitment made by the state commission/high courts for lower judiciary is also a cause of the poor judicial system.
  • Frequent adjournments are granted by the courts to the advocates which leads to unnecessary delays in justice.

Way Forward

• The CSS Scheme will increase the availability of well-equipped Court Halls and Residential Accommodations for Judges/Judicial Officers of District and Subordinate Courts all over the country.
• Setting up of digital computer rooms will also improve digital capabilities and give impetus to the digitization initiation being pursued as a part of India’s Digital India vision.
• This will help in improving the overall functioning and performance of the Judiciary. Continued assistance to the Gram Nyayalayas will also give impetus to providing speedy, substantial and affordable justice to the common man at his doorstep.

Source: PIB