Supreme Court report flags delays in judge recruitment and budget release

This is a report titled 'State of the Judiciary' issued by the Supreme Court of India's Centre for Research & Planning in November 2023, which analyzes the current status of judicial infrastructure, budgeting, human resources, and ICT enablement. It matters to citizens as it provides an official assessment of the resources and systems supporting the Indian judiciary.

Who it concerns: The Supreme Court of India, the Centre for Research & Planning (CRP), the Chief Justice of India, the Registry of the Supreme Court, and the general public affected by judicial infrastructure and services.

What the document says

• The report was prepared in line with the vision of the Chief Justice of India, Dr. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, to strengthen the working of the judiciary.
• The document covers four main parts: Judicial Infrastructure, Budgeting System for the District Judiciary, Human Resource Management, and ICT Enablement of Judiciary.
• The report was presented on 26 November 2023 and released on 15 December 2023.
• It includes annexures with data on judge strength, courtrooms, residential accommodations, and recruitment timelines across various states.
• The report acknowledges contributions from various sections of the Registry, including the Conference Secretariat, Information & Statistics Section, and the Computer Cell.

Also in the document

• The report includes a section on 'Celebrating One Year of the CJI' and suggestions by Justice Sanjiv Khanna.
• It addresses specific issues such as the 'Tardy Process of Budget Release to Utilisation' and 'Challenges Causing Delay in Recruitment of Judges'.
• The document discusses the 'Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS)' and the role of 'e-Sewa Kendra' in digital accessibility.