New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the government has approved Rs 800 crore for the expansion of the Supreme Court building complex and added that hopes no one files a petition terming it as “wasteful expenditure” like it was done for the new Parliament building.
The PM was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the Supreme Court. He emphasised the need to capitalise on all opportunities coming our way and mentioned ease of living, ease of doing business, travel, communication and ease of justice as the nation’s top priorities. “Ease of justice is the right of every Indian citizen and the Supreme Court of India, its medium”, PM Modi exhorted.
Noting that the entire justice system in the country is administered and guided by the Supreme Court, PM Modi stressed the government’s prioritization towards making the Supreme Court accessible to the remotest parts and mentioned giving acceptance to the third phase of the e-Courts Mission Project. He informed that the fund allocation for the third phase has been increased four times more than the second phase. PM Modi expressed delight that the digitization of all courts in the country is being monitored by the CJI himself.
The PM said he is aware of the problems faced by people in the existing Supreme Court building and last week, the government for Supreme Court building expansion has sanctioned Rs 800 crore. The PM said hoped no one would file a petition in the court terming it as “wasteful expenditure" like it was done for the new Parliament building.
"Underscoring the essence of Indian values and modernity in our legal framework, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the need for our laws to reflect both Indian ethos and contemporary practices." He stated, “The convergence of Indian values and modernity is equally essential in our legal statutes.” Prime Minister Modi further remarked, “The government is actively working on modernising laws to align with the present situation and best practices.”
Even in our courts, the Prime Minister said that similar technology can be implemented to make lives easier for the common people. Recalling his suggestions to draft laws in simple language for a better understanding of the people, Modi suggested a similar approach to drafting court judgements and orders.
He emphasised, "Through these changes, our legal, policing and investigative systems have entered a new era." Emphasising the significance of transitioning from centuries-old laws to new statutes, the PM stressed, "The transition from old laws to new ones should be seamless, which is imperative." In this regard, he noted the commencement of training and capacity-building initiatives for government officials to facilitate the transition. Prime Minister Modi urged the Supreme Court to also engage in capacity-building for all stakeholders.
Prime Minister Modi underscored the crucial role of a robust justice system as the cornerstone of Viksit Bharat. He highlighted the government's continuous efforts to create a reliable legal framework, citing the enactment of the Jan Vishwas Bill as a step in the right direction while also reducing the number of pending cases thereby alleviating unnecessary pressure from the judiciary. Prime Minister Modi also mentioned the introduction of provisions for alternative dispute resolution through mediation, which has contributed to easing the burden, especially the subordinate judiciary. Prime Minister Modi reiterated the collective responsibility of all citizens towards realising India's vision of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
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