Judicial infrastructure panel submits interim report to CJI

Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant. File picture | Photo Credit: PTI A committee constituted by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant to assess the infrastructural requirements of courts across the country submitted its interim report on Monday (August 31, 2026).The ‘Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee’, constituted on May 12, 2026, was tasked with assessing the infrastructural requirements of the Indian judiciary and identifying the government support and financial allocation needed to address them.Supreme Court judge Justice Aravind Kumar chairs the committee. Its members include Justice Debangsu Basak of the Calcutta High Court, Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan of the Bombay High Court, the Director General of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), and Supreme Court Secretary General Bharat Parashar, who serves as the member secretary.According to a press statement issued by the Supreme Court, the committee has prepared a blueprint for the modernisation of courts across the country and sought to identify the financial support required from the government to address existing infrastructural deficiencies.The committee’s mandate included identifying infrastructural constraints faced by the justice delivery system and recommending facilities for judges, court staff, lawyers, litigants and visitors.e-Courts initiativeIt was also tasked with suggesting measures for computerisation of courts under the e-Courts initiative, proposing citizen-centric services to make justice delivery more inclusive, and recommending steps to bridge the digital divide.“The committee examined measures for establishing modern court complexes and improving working conditions for judicial officers and administrative staff to enhance efficiency in the justice delivery system,” the press release said.The report comes amid concerns over the capacity of the judicial system to cope with rising case pendency, with courts continuing to face shortages of courtrooms and staff, inadequate basic amenities and disparities in access to technological infrastructure. These concerns have assumed greater significance following a reduction in the funds earmarked for the Ministry of Law and Justice in the Union Budget for 2026-27.The Ministry has been allocated ₹4,509.06 crore in the Union Budget for 2026-27, compared to ₹4,998.24 crore in the previous year’s Budget. The allocation is also substantially below the revised estimate of ₹5,189 crore for 2025-26. Published - September 01, 2026 01:20 am IST