Chief Justice of India Justice Tirath Singh Thakur while addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Hostel block of HP Judicial Legal academy at Ghandal in Shimla today said that the aim and objective of the legal academies should not only be restricted to impart training to judicial officers but also to other stake holders exercising quasi-judicial functions, law students and the public.Expressing concern, he said that there was a growing feeling that after investing so much in judicial academies, will they be fully utilised to serve the purpose all the year through? To overcome the issue, the state academies need to maintain liaison with National Judicial academy to chalk out the curriculum of the courses throughout the year with purpose of training so that the state academies doesn’t remain un- utilised or ideal.“I will urge the Chief Justices of State and the judges that not for a day even, the motive of this academy remains un-utilised or defeated”, he said. He asked to prepare special training modules for the purpose. It becomes the duty of judges of High court to maintain the academies and to see that the courses were specifically designed for being carried out through out the year as so much was being spent on such institutions and academies.
Sh. Thakur also assured the Chief Minister that he will take up the matter with the Prime Minister and, if need be, with the Finance Minister for additional financial assistance to the State government for completion of National Law University. In a lighter vein he said that though judiciary did not intervene in such matters, but for him Himachal was a second home as his better half belong to this State.Regarding pendency of cases, the CJI said that it was inexorable process as the studies shows that instance of cases were directly related to literacy and prosperity. People now were quite literate and conscious of their rights and due to high late of literacy, they seek shelter of the courts even for their petty grievances, he remarked.The pendency in the HP High Court had reduced by 50% which was commendable performance, said Shri Thakur, adding that he had not heard of such reduction in other High courts. The CJI said that 80 percent of backlog pending were mostly in eight states as UP, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu ,Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka etc. The burden of backlog was much here and it brings entire judicial system to somewhat at halt.
Praising the clearance of backlog in states of Himachal and Kerela, the CJI said that the reason being here was that the number of vacancies in courts were quite less. Quoting example of State High Court, he said that against sanctioned strength of 13 judges, just 2 posts were vacant which helps in speedy delivery of justice. But the High Courts where the vacancies were more and requires to be filled up, it becomes a National challenge for the Judiciary to clear backlog at the earliest. “As far as I have been informed there are 33,240 disposal pendencies in HP High Court and as much as 2,51,325 cases in sub-ordinate courts and against total pendency of 59133 cases in 2013 the total pendency remaining on 31st July, 2016 is 30509 thereby bringing about 50 percent reduction in pendency”, he said. He thanked the state Government for spending huge amount on legal academy which would not only help students from Himachal but will also invite talent from other parts of the country as well. He said besides limited resources, Himachal Pradesh had made rapid strides in education sector. He complimented the engineers for the magnificent complex and congratulated the Chief Minister for supporting the projects for the judiciary. Justice T.S. Thakur also laid the foundation stone of National Law University at Ghandal to come up with estimated cost of Rs 137 crore as per initial estimates.
Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh while addressing the gathering expressed concern over the pendency of cases as it deprives people of speedy justice. He said that law should be able to adopt the dynamics of the ever evolving society. The Chief Minister said that it had been our persistent effort to provide all possible assistance to Judiciary and urged CJI to take up matter with Government of India (GoI) for financial assistance of around Rs. 100 crore for completion of the National Law University as it will involve more than Rs. 150 crore.He said in the changing socio-economic scenario in the country, the Nation at large was forging ahead in field of development and Himachal Pradesh had also not lagged behind. With progress and prosperity, new type of litigations were coming to the courts as accident cases which were occupying lots of time of courts and other constitutional issues were arising thereby it becomes imperative that the courts were strengthened with staff and fully equipped.The Chief Minister said that despite big expansion in Judicial set up in the State, the pendency of cases had increased and added that it was the duty of High Court to clear the pendency immediately. People can't be denied justice for a long time, he said. He said that for the very reason the State Government had re-constituted the Administrative Tribunal so as to lessen the burden of High Court as far as service cases were concerned.
Shri Virbhadra Singh said that there had been a marked improvement in functioning of courts disposal of cases despite the number of cases keep on increasing. He said people cannot be denied justice for long time and for this purpose the government fully supports the Judiciary.The Chief Minister said that with joint effort of government and judiciary, our Judicial system had come of age and he was happy to say that the landmark decisions taken by Himachal Pradesh High Court were even quoted in Supreme Court and High Courts of other States. The Chief Minister said that the concern of the present Chief justice in providing relief to the poorest of the poor and needy ones could be adjudged by the fact that with effect from 27 November, 2013 to 12 August 2016 a compensation to the tune of more than 55 crores had been awarded under tthe Motor Vehicle Accident claim cases.He expressed his gratitude to Chief Justice of India for inaugurating the new Judicial Academy campus and laying foundation stone of the National Law University. The National law University would becoming up with estimated cost of Rs 137 crore spreading over an area of 45 Bighas.
Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh, Justice Mansoor Ahmed Mir, said that judicial education was essential for enhancing the quality and improving the standards of justice, adding that independence of judiciary depends upon public confidence and judges doing their jobs well. He said that judicial academies were responsible for planning and providing initial and continuous training for judges and court officers to enhance the quality of dispensation of Justice.Justice Mir said that the academy had launched help desk on its website where the judicial officers could view the reading material, videos of previous lectures and could also ask questions from the academy. The academy was also preparing Himachal Series named ILR which was sent to the judicial officers by e-mail to apprise them about the latest law laid down by the High Court.He said that rapid advances in technology had thrown new challenges and the time demands to keep pace with it.
He thanked the CJI for dedicating Academy hostel and performing foundation stone laying ceremony of the National Law University.Health and Law Minister, Shri Kaul Singh Thakur thanked the Chief Justice of India for laying foundation stone of National Law University and dedicating the hostel block of Judicial academy. He said that the government had provided judicial complexes and residences for judicial officers all over the State. He also lauded the efforts of the State High court to reduce the pendency drastically since 2013.Justice Rajiv Sharma earlier welcomed the Chief Guest and other dignitaries present on the occasion. He expressed his gratitude to the state government for establishing the judicial academy and said that this would along with coming up of National Law University would help imparting quality legal education to the youth of the State as well as from neighbouring state.Justice Sanjay Karol, Justice Dharam Chand Chaudhary, Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, Justice P.S. Rana, Justice Sureshwar Thakur, Justice Vivek Singh Thakur, Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, Justice Sandeep Sharma, Justice C.B Barowalia, Chief Secretary, V.C.Pharka, DGP, Sanjay Kumar and other senior civil and police officers were present on the occasion amongst others.