Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant on Tuesday virtually inaugurated new District Court complexes at Irinjalakuda and Chavakkad in Kerala’s Thrissur district, underscoring the imperative of strengthening judicial infrastructure to make the justice delivery system more accessible to litigants beyond major urban centres.
The CJI was scheduled to attend the inauguration in person but participated virtually in view of the prevailing flood situation in parts of Kerala. At the outset, he expressed regret over his inability to be physically present and conveyed his solidarity with those affected by the floods, wishing them safety and an early recovery.
The two judicial complexes have been established at a combined cost of nearly ₹100 crore, with financial support from the Government of Kerala. Justice Surya Kant acknowledged the efforts of the State Government and the Kerala High Court administration in augmenting judicial infrastructure and described the projects as an important institutional intervention towards bringing courts closer to the people.
Emphasising the constitutional imperative of access to justice, the CJI observed that the newly constructed complexes should not be viewed merely as physical structures or additions to the existing judicial infrastructure. Rather, they represent an endeavour to dismantle geographical and infrastructural barriers that often impede litigants residing in smaller towns, rural areas and remote regions from effectively accessing the justice delivery mechanism.
Justice Surya Kant pointed to the mounting volume and complexity of litigation in the district, noting that nearly 30,000 civil cases and over one lakh criminal cases were pending. The figures, he indicated, underscore the pressing need for adequate judicial infrastructure commensurate with the expanding adjudicatory burden confronting the subordinate judiciary.
The new complexes have also incorporated facilities intended to strengthen alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. The provision of a dedicated Mediation Hall assumes significance in this regard, reflecting an institutional preference for consensual dispute resolution wherever the nature of the lis permits. Mediation, the CJI noted, can facilitate amicable settlement while reducing the adversarial burden on courts and enabling litigants to resolve disputes in a more expeditious and participatory manner.
The infrastructure has further been designed keeping in view the sensitive nature of family litigation. Counselling rooms equipped with separate cubicles have been provided in the Family Courts to preserve privacy and dignity during proceedings involving matrimonial and familial disputes.
Another noteworthy feature is the provision of a separate hall for women members of the Bar. Justice Surya Kant observed that the facility reflected the changing contours of the legal profession and the increasingly significant participation of women advocates in the justice delivery system.
Drawing an analogy from Kerala’s cultural tradition of Onam, the CJI likened the justice delivery system to a Pookkalam, where flowers of diverse colours, shapes and forms come together to constitute a harmonious whole. He emphasised that the justice system must similarly remain inclusive and responsive to citizens across the social and geographical spectrum, including those residing in metropolitan centres, rural communities and remote tribal areas.
The remarks placed access to justice within the broader constitutional conception of equality before law and effective access to judicial remedies. The strengthening of district-level courts, therefore, assumes significance not merely as an infrastructural exercise but as an essential component of institutionalising justice at the grassroots.
The inauguration of the Irinjalakuda and Chavakkad complexes thus marks another step towards modernising the subordinate judiciary while ensuring that physical infrastructure, technological capacity and litigant-centric facilities evolve in tandem with the demands of contemporary adjudication.
Concluding his address, Justice Surya Kant extended his Onam greetings to the people of Kerala in Malayalam, saying, “Nanni, ellaavarkkum. Onam ashamsakal.”
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