SC to host meeting of Chief Justices of SCO member states between March 10 to 12

Supreme Court of India is all set to host the 18th meeting of the Chief Justices of the Supreme Courts of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states in New Delhi from March 10 to 12, 2023, an official statement said on Thursday.

Chief Justices Chairpersons of the Supreme Courts of SCO member states have been invited to attend the meeting, which is likely to witness discussions on "smart courts" and the future of the judiciary; facilitating "access to justice"; institutional challenges facing judiciary: delays, infrastructure, representation, and transparency.

"The meeting will involve a Joint interaction with the Chief Justices / Chairpersons / Judges from the Member / Observer States and representatives from SCO Secretariat and SCO RATS and will conclude with the signing of a joint statement," the official said.

In the active and constantly expanding activities of the SCO, the interaction of the highest judicial instances is becoming more and more popular.

The seventeenth meeting of the Presidents of the Supreme Courts of the member states of the SCO was held in Dushanbe.

India assumed the rotational presidency of the SCO for a year in September 2022 through the Samarkand declaration last year. The Indian participation in the meeting will include the Chief Justice of India, Dr Dhananjay Y Chandrachud, Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, K M Joseph, both judges of the Supreme Court of India, among others.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was created in 2001 on the basis of the "Shanghai five" formed after the signing by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Russia and Tajikistan. The main goal of SCO is to strengthen mutual trust, friendship and good neighbourliness, encouraging effective cooperation in several areas among the member states.

SCO members include China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Afghanistan, Belarus, Tran and Mongolia constitute the SCO observers while Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, and Nepal are the SCO dialogue partners.