CJI Ramana laments lack of basic judicial infrastructure

New Delhi, February 26

Maintaining that mere allocation of funds was not enough to develop judicial infrastructure in the country, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Saturday said the challenge was to put the available resources to optimum use.

Expect positive response

Judicial infrastructure needs to be improved. I am hoping for a positive response soon. NV Ramana, CJI

While lamenting the lack of basic minimum standards of judicial infrastructure, the CJI stressed the need for not only filling the existing vacancies but also raising the number of judges in high courts to efficiently deal with the IPR disputes.

“Judicial infrastructure needs to be improved. Unfortunately we are not even meeting the basic minimum standards in this area. It has been my endeavour since assuming the office of Chief Justice of India to put in place an institutional mechanism to coordinate and oversee the improvement of judicial infrastructure,” the CJI said at a national seminar on adjudication of Intellectual Property Rights’ disputes in India.

“I have been pursuing the government for setting up statutory authorities, both at the Centre and at the states. I am hoping for a positive response soon,” Justice Ramana said at the seminar, which was also attended by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, judges, lawyers and other stakeholders.

The Minister said the Centre encouraged start-ups while protecting their IPR as the boost would not have been possible with only “giving up restrictions”.

Sitharaman said 28,000 patents were registered last year as opposed to 4,000 in 2013-2014, and that last year also witnessed 2.5 lakh trademark and over 16,000 copyright registrations, which will have a “very strong ripple effect” when scaled up as they generate its own ecosystem and revenues.

He sought to assure offshore investors that the Indian judicial system was investor-friendly and “absolutely independent” to impart justice to all.

“When I visited Japan in 2016 to attend a conference on IPR, I was repeatedly asked by entrepreneurs as to how investor-friendly the Indian judicial system is. In fact, whenever I travel abroad, from a cross section of hosts, I keep getting similar queries. My answer has always remained the same; that the Indian judiciary is absolutely independent and it always treats all the parties equally and equitably,” the CJI said.