Judiciary of future must transform itself into service that's accessible, responsive, integrated into citizens' daily lives: CJI Surya Kant

Noting that the Indian judiciary cannot remain confined within imposing buildings or constrained by geography, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has said that the judiciary of the future must transform itself into a service that's accessible, responsive and seamlessly integrated into the daily lives of citizens.

Delivering the 4th Ashok Desai Memorial lecture on “Reimagining Justice: The Indian Judiciary 50 Years Hence” here on Monday, the CJI said, “Indian judiciary of the future cannot remain confined within imposing buildings or constrained by geography. It must transform into a service that is accessible, responsive and seamlessly integrated into the daily lives of citizens.”

He said, “In such a vision, justice is no longer something one must travel to seek, but something that reaches individuals efficiently, equitably and with a sensitivity to the realities of a changing society.”

The endeavour of the judiciary must be to nurture a system of justice which, 50 years from now, is more accessible, responsive and closely integrated into the lives of citizens, the CJI said, adding, the judge of the future cannot remain confined within the identity of a legal specialist or jurist alone.

“The disputes that will come before the courts will require an understanding that extends far beyond statutes and precedents. For instance, judges may find themselves grappling with questions of synthetic biology, raising issues of liability where life itself is engineered.

“Matters such as deep-sea mining will test the limits of environmental responsibility in spaces that lie outside conventional jurisdiction,” CJI Kant said.