CJI Highlights Judiciary's Role and Challenges at Constitution Day Celebration

During the Constitution Day celebrations, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna emphasized judicial independence, addressing challenges like case backlog and efficiency improvements. He underscored the judiciary's critical role in democracy and the importance of inter-institutional balance. Key figures, including PM Modi, also participated, discussing the judiciary's influence and responsibilities.

At the recent Constitution Day celebrations held at the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna articulated the distinct and essential role the judiciary plays within the democratic framework. He reinforced the idea that each governmental branch must respect its constitutionally defined role to maintain inter-institutional balance. The Constitution safeguards the judiciary, ensuring unbiased decision-making free from external pressures, which is essential to uphold democratic values.

The Chief Justice addressed the challenges facing the judiciary, such as a significant backlog of cases, attributing them to the overwhelming number of cases filed. This year alone saw over 2.08 crore cases at the District Courts, around 16.6 lakh in High Courts, and 54,000 in the Supreme Court. Despite this, Indian courts have improved their case clearance rates, which demonstrate strides towards greater efficiency in justice delivery.

In line with advancing judicial efficiency, CJI Khanna celebrated the government's financial support for phase III of the e-Courts project. However, he also drew attention to pressing issues like the backlog of check bouncing cases, which constitute a considerable portion of pending trials. Prominent attendees, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, discussed these challenges and celebrated the judiciary's key role in embodying democratic ideals and responsibilities.

(With inputs from agencies.)