Docket explosion preventing quality judgments, timely justice: SC judge

Srinagar: Docket explosion is preventing the delivery of quality judgments as well as timely justice in the country, Supreme Court judge Justice Hrishikesh Roy said on Saturday.

Justice Roy made the remarks after inaugurating a two-day zonal conference on 'Court Dockets: Explosion and Exclusion' organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Judicial Academy under the aegis of the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, at the SKICC here.

Several judges from the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of the High Court of J-K and Ladakh, Justice Tashi Rabstan, and ex-Supreme Court judge and Director of National Judicial Academy, Justice Anirudhha Bose, attended the conference, among other legal representatives from the region.

Emphasising that docket explosion is preventing the delivery of quality judgments and timely justice, Justice Roy said in his inaugural address, "It is a significant concern in a developing country like India, which is the world's largest democracy, with millions of court cases pending at different levels of the legal system." "The grim situation can be felt in matters involving personal liberty of individuals," he said.

To combat this threat, some measures are required to be adopted, Justice Roy added, suggesting that alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is an effective tool in the administration of justice.

National Judicial Academy Director Justice Bose said pending litigation in courts is one of the most widely- debated issues in judicial reform.

Expressing concern that people are not approaching the courts as they feel courts take a lot of time to decide cases, Justice Bose hoped the conference will provide valuable insights to address the issue to ensure equal access to justice for all.

Justice Rabstan underscored two pressing issues central to administration of justice.

"On one hand we face an explosion in the volume of cases with courts overwhelmed by an ever-growing backlog. On the other hand we see the issue of exclusion, where many marginalised groups are unable to access justice effectively, creating a profound challenge for equity and fairness in the legal system," Justice Rabstan said.

He added that these challenges are not isolated to any particular region, nor to any single jurisdiction as they resonate across the nation and beyond.

The pressure of rising caseloads not only affects timely delivery of justice, but also impacts the quality and integrity of the judicial process, Justice Rabstan said.

The conference aims to discuss practical solutions to streamline court processes, improve efficiency, and ensure that the legal system is accessible to all citizens regardless of their background or economic status, he added.