Concerned over the cases pending in the courts for decades and in a bid to create a psychological atmosphere and sensitivity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday suggested that courts could bring out their bulletins listing the oldest pending cases.
Addressing the concluding function of the centenary celebration of Patna High Court he told the judges including CJI TS Thakur that such bulletins could be published to create sensitivity about the pendency of the cases.
“There will nothing wrong in it rather it would be a good gesture. You (judges) will not be held responsible for the pendency of the old cases because they are lying pending much before you assumed the office,” he said and added that this would help create an atmosphere about the pendency of cases and inspire others to wriggle out of this problem.Modi also suggested that digital technology should be injected in the judicial functioning in bars and benches by seeking help of new technology and Google. It would improve the quality of arguments and judgments.
“Now we have something that we did not have earlier - the power of technology. How much techno-savvy can we make the bar, the bench and the courts by injecting digital technology in their functioning and help work towards improving the quality of judgments and arguments by using technology actively,” he added.
CJI Thakur spoke about the vacancies in the courts and said for the past one year no new appointment of judges was made due to some problem which has now been solved. “Judicial institutions are working with half of their sanctioned posts,” he said and added that 150 names of the judges have been cleared by the apex court and in the coming days there would be no delay in appointment of judges.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said a judicial academy has been set up for the training of judicial officials. Judiciary has a big role in our aim of development with justice. The building of the judicial academy at Gai Ghat on the banks of Ganga was opened by CJI Thakur, who stressed need for more such academies.
The centenary celebration of the Patna High Court had been inaugurated in April last by President Pranab Mukherjee. The closing function was attended among others by Union law Minister Sadanand Gowda, Governor Ramnath Kovind, some judges of Supreme Court, Chief Justices of Kolkata, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand High Courts, Acting Chief Justice of Patna High Court Iqbal Ahmad Ansari and members of bar apart from ministers and legislators.