Justice delivery mechanism in India 'complex and expensive', says CJI NV Ramana

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Saturday said the justice delivery mechanism in India is complex and expensive. Addressing an event in Jammu and Kashmir, he said the inability of the justice system to deliver speedy and affordable justice to all, is one of the major challenges to protection of law and human rights. Stressing that for a healthy democracy people must feel their rights and dignity are recognised, CJI Ramana urged lawyers and judges to create a congenial environment for litigants, who are often "under a lot of psychological stress".

"For the functioning of a healthy democracy, it is imperative that the people feel that their rights and dignity are protected and recognised. Expeditious adjudication of disputes is the hallmark of a healthy democracy," he said.

"Denial of justice would ultimately lead to anarchy. Soon the institution of the judiciary would be destabilised as people will look for extrajudicial mechanisms," he added.

He said the judiciary must be at its innovative best to ensure that the challenges to its working are met with just and Constitutional measures.

"Technology has been a strong aid to the judiciary. Now, virtual courts are bridging the gaps of accessibility by reducing time, cost and distance. But in a country like India, where a vast digital divide still exists, much needs to be done in order to harness the full potential of technological innovations," he added.

Justice Ramana, who has called out the lack of judicial infrastructure on many occassions in the past, said post-independence, the judicial infrastructure has not been overhauled to meet the growing demands of the country. He said the country is far behind in making courts inclusive and if the problem is not addressed, the constitutional ideals of access to justice will get defeated.

He also talked about judicial vacancies. He said 21 percent of all posts in the district judiciary have been vacant and the gap needs to be filled.

''Appropriate steps are also required to be taken for providing security and accommodation for all the Judges," he added.

With inputs from PTI