Setting up of the CRP was one of the first decisions the CJI took after he took over in October 2018
The Centre for Research and Planning (CRP), the Supreme Court's in-house think-tank established nine months ago with the aim of bringing reform in judiciary, has now become almost defunct, The Indian Express has reported.
The think-tank, a brainchild of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, was being headed by Professor Mohan Gopal, who had quit in March without citing any reasons.
The report states that Prof Gopal might have quit after he expressed reservations regarding the CJI's announcement to do away with mentioning by lawyers seeking urgent hearing. The report states that the decision was taken without consulting the CRP.
According to the report, the appointments for a team that Prof Gopal wanted to build had also not been put in place, while a website on its activities has remained only on paper.
The setting up of the CRP was one of the first decisions that the CJI took after he took over in October 2018, and the centre was announced in November last year.
The report states that the CRP was intended to improve people's confidence in the judiciary and carry out "cutting-edge research to meet the fast expanding knowledge needs of the judiciary".
The purpose of the CRP was also to come up with short versions of key judgments, and get rid of the jargon to help common people understand them.
According to the report, the idea was raised particularly following the criticism that SC's Sabarimala verdict received.
The CRP's focus areas, the report states, were reforms for improvement in justice delivery and judicial independence, while also creating a network of independent scholars in key domain areas.
The report states that the CJI had taken the decision to establish the CRP independently and without consulting colleagues. "I really seek post-facto approval. The decision was entirely mine," he had said, according to the report.
