Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on Tuesday stressed on increasing the accessibility to courts for women, Dalits and other Backward classes by way of creating adequate infrastructure for them at the grassroot level.
Speaking during the inauguration of new S block building of the Delhi High Court, the CJI said that even after more than 70 years of Independence, the district judiciary was in want of basic facilities like toilets.
Terming the district judiciary as the point of first contact, the CJI said improvement in judicial infrastructure should begin at the district level, as the district judiciary had immediate impact on the lives of the citizens.
He said the court complexes built during Colonial era imposed a sense of fear and awe in the consumers of justice.
As per the CJI, the common man initially went to the lower court with his problems, but there was lack of basic facilities, including toilets. Instead of reducing his stress, the atmosphere in a court room could aggravate his problems, he added.
Speaking about the magnificent building of the Delhi High Court, the CJI said when he was a young lad of 12 or 13, the Delhi High Court building was inaugurated and the transition happened from the Circuit Bench.
He said he remembered his mother telling his father that this was not some tin shed building, but a five star hotel.
Justice Chandrachud said he wondered what should be said about this new building, whether to call it a 7 star hotel or something more magnificent, which carried all modern facilities.
Stating that having the best infrastructure in New Delhi, the CJI said India survived much beyond the national capital as well.
He said the grand building of S block boasted of 200 chambers, Delhi International Arbitration Centre, parking space, cafeteria and other open spaces, which would give room to the common people.
Calling the Delhi High Court as a whiff of fresh air, the CJI said that it gave equality and relief to the citizens, even during the most difficult of times.
Stating that increasing judicial work in the Delhi High Court had put pressure on existing infrastructure, Justice Chandrachud said a
dedicated space for DIAC constituted a step in the right direction for ADR in the country.
He added that justice should be made accessible to all through judicial infrastructure, be it physical, digital or in any other way.