Parliamentary Panel Report Exposes Poor Judicial Infrastructure in Northeast

The Department of Justice has been overseeing a scheme since 1993-94 aimed at developing infrastructure facilities for the subordinate judiciary across the country. This scheme has been extended for a further five years from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2026. However, recent data reveals that Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have the highest amounts of funds released by the Centre, with Rs 28.77 crore and Rs 36.24 crore, respectively, remaining unspent in these states.

New Delhi: In a major revelation highlighting the poor state of the judicial infrastructure system in North Eastern (NE) States, a Parliamentary Committee has revealed that judicial infrastructure in the region has been facing severe space crunch in the majority of courtrooms, shortage of judge chambers, lack of robust digital infrastructure and poor network connectivity as well as lack of adequate security of the court premises.

Ironically, a huge chunk of money released by the Centre under Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) for the development of infrastructure facilities for the subordinate judiciary remains unspent. The Parliamentary Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice in its 141st report titled ‘Judicial Infrastructure in the North-Eastern States of India’ presented in the Rajya Sabha on February 7 said that Rs 92.49 crore remains unspent as of April 10, 2023, among all the northeastern states under the CSS scheme.

Assam with Rs 28.77 crore and Arunachal Pradesh with Rs 36.24 crore are at the top of the list of states with the maximum amount of funds kept unspent. The Department of Justice has been implementing the scheme for the development of infrastructure facilities for the subordinate judiciary in the country since 1993-94, which has been extended for a further period of five years from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2026.

The committee during the last year visited Imphal, Gauhati, Agartala, Kohima, Shillong, Itanagar and interacted with the Chief Justices and other Judges of these High Courts and district courts, Members of the Bar, officials of the Ministry of Law & Justice, officials of State Governments and other stakeholders to understand the challenges being faced in augmentation of judicial infrastructure in the North-Eastern states.

During its visit to the region, the committee found a severe space crunch, which is being faced in the majority of courtrooms. “There is a shortage of judges chambers, lack of sufficient parking space and lack of adequate number of toilets,” the committee chaired by Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Modi said in its report.

It was emphasised that space is required to accommodate new departments, record rooms, secretariats and offices such as the juvenile justice secretariat, chief justices' conference hall, mediation centres, judges libraries and libraries for advocates.

“Lack of robust digital infrastructure and the poor network connectivity in remote areas is a major impediment in carrying out court proceedings through virtual mode,” the committee said. Stating that the lack of robust digital infrastructure and poor network connectivity in remote areas is a major impediment in carrying out court proceedings through virtual mode, the committee emphasised the need to upgrade the IT hardware and software from time to time.

According to the committee, the issue of adequate security of the court premises as well as that of the judicial officers and lawyers needs to be addressed. “In some cases there isn’t a separate compound, with boundary walls and gates, to secure the court complex which causes security issues for the judges, prosecutors, bar members and vulnerable witnesses. Steps need to be taken to ensure adequate water supply, fire safety measures, provisions for lifts and ramps and separate toilets for men and women,” the committee said in its report.