Supreme Court Committee To Seek Rs 50,000 Crore For Judicial Infrastructure Upgrade

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has constituted a Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee to assess the infrastructural needs of courts across the country. The committee will prepare a roadmap for securing ₹40,000 to ₹50,000 crore in funding for strengthening India’s judicial infrastructure.

The move comes at a time when courts across several states continue to face issues such as shortage of courtrooms, outdated facilities, lack of digital systems, and insufficient support infrastructure for judges, lawyers, litigants, and court staff.

The committee has been directed to submit its interim report by August 31. The findings will be presented to Sanjeev Sanyal, who is a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Economic Advisory Council.

Supreme Court judge Justice Aravind Kumar will head the committee. Other members include Justice Debangsu Basak, Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, and Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan.

The committee also includes senior administrative officials such as the Director General of the Central Public Works Department and the Secretary General of the Supreme Court. Their inclusion is expected to help in preparing practical and implementable recommendations for court infrastructure development.

According to the mandate issued, the committee will examine the difficulties faced by stakeholders in the justice delivery system. This includes judges, lawyers, litigants, visitors, and court employees who regularly deal with infrastructural shortcomings in courts.

One of the major focus areas will be the use of technology for faster disposal of cases. The committee will study ways to improve digitisation and computerisation of courts as part of the larger e-courts initiative being implemented across India.

The panel will also explore citizen-centric services aimed at reducing the digital divide. This includes improving accessibility for people who may not have easy access to digital systems or legal resources, especially in smaller towns and rural areas.

Another important area under review is the development of modern court complexes and better working conditions for judicial officers and staff. The committee is expected to suggest long-term measures for creating efficient, accessible, and technology-enabled court infrastructure in India.