CJI DY Chandrachud Calls District Judiciary the ‘Backbone of the Judiciary’

Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud described the district judiciary as the “backbone of the judiciary” and emphasized its crucial role in upholding the rule of law.

Speaking at the ‘National Conference of the District Judiciary,’ the CJI argued against referring to the district judiciary as subordinate.

“The district judiciary is the first point of contact for citizens seeking justice and is a vital component of the rule of law,” the CJI stated. He added that the quality of work and the conditions under which justice is delivered influence public confidence in the judicial system.

“The district judiciary is thus tasked with immense responsibility and is aptly described as the ‘backbone of the judiciary.’ The spine is the core of the nervous system,” the CJI remarked. “To sustain the spine of the legal system, we must stop referring to the district judiciary as subordinate. Seventy-five years after Independence, it is time to discard yet another relic of the British era – the colonial mindset of subordination.”

The Chief Justice of India also highlighted recent advancements in judicial technology. In 2023-2024, 46.48 crore pages of court records were scanned or digitized. “The National Judicial Data Grid, managed by the e-committee in conjunction with the National Informatics Centre, serves as a valuable resource for both lawyers and citizens,” he noted.

The e-courts project has facilitated the computerization of over 3,500 court complexes and more than 22,000 courtrooms. “District courts across the country have handled 2.3 crore cases via video conferencing,” he added.

The CJI noted that Supreme Court judgments are being translated into every language recognized by the Constitution, with 73,000 translated verdicts now publicly available. He also pointed out the growing presence of women in the district judiciary, citing various statistics. In 2023, women comprised 58% of civil judge recruits in Rajasthan, 66% of judicial officers appointed in Delhi, and 54% of civil judge (junior division) appointments in Uttar Pradesh’s 2022 batch. In Kerala, women make up 72% of judicial officers.

“These examples reflect a promising future for the judiciary,” CJI Chandrachud said.

In addition to the CJI and Prime Minister Modi, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Supreme Court Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Attorney General R. Venkataramani, Supreme Court Bar Association President Kapil Sibal, and Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra addressed the conference.

The two-day event, organized by the Supreme Court, will conclude with a valedictory address by President Droupadi Murmu on September 1, who will also unveil the Supreme Court’s flag and insignia, according to a statement issued by the apex court.

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