Indian judiciary cannot be confined to buildings: CJI

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Monday said the Indian judiciary of the future cannot remain confined within imposing buildings or constrained by geography.

Speaking at the 4th Ashok Desai Memorial lecture here on the topic “Reimagining Justice: The Indian Judiciary 50 Years Hence”, the CJI said the judiciary of the future must transform into a service that is accessible, responsive and seamlessly integrated into the daily lives of citizens.

“Indian judiciary of the future cannot remain confined within imposing buildings or constrained by geography. It must transform into a service that is accessible, responsive and seamlessly integrated into the daily lives of citizens.

“In such a vision, justice is no longer something one must travel to seek, but something that reaches individuals efficiently, equitably and with a sensitivity to the realities of a changing society,” the CJI said.

CJI Kant said the endeavour of the judiciary must be to nurture a system of justice which, 50 years from now, is more accessible, responsive and closely integrated into the lives of citizens.

He said the judge of the future cannot remain confined within the identity of a legal specialist or jurist alone.

“The disputes that will come before the courts will require an understanding that extends far beyond statutes and precedents. For instance, judges may find themselves grappling with questions of synthetic biology, raising issues of liability where life itself is engineered.

“Matters such as deep-sea mining will test the limits of environmental responsibility in spaces that lie outside conventional jurisdiction,” he said.