Poor connectivity affecting justice delivery: CJI

Chief Justice of India N V Ramana on Saturday expressed concern that the poor connectivity in rural, tribal, remote, and hilly areas was adversely impacting the pace of justice delivery and was also depriving thousands of young lawyers across the country of their livelihood.

"A whole generation of lawyers is being pushed out of the system due to digital divide," the CJI lamented.

Justice Ramana said the matter of connectivity figured prominently in the two-day conference of CJs of High Courts held recently. He disclosed this during the course of the panel discussion on the launch of a book 'Anomalies in Law and Justice' by former Supreme Court judge, Justice R V Raveendran.

Justice Ramana said that he recently wrote to the Minister of Law, Communications, and IT highlighting the issues and requested him to initiate steps on priority to bridge the digital divide and also to evolve a mechanism to help the advocates who have lost livelihood due to pandemic and who are in dire need of financial assistance.

"The need to declare the legal professionals and associated functionaries as frontline workers and the need to vaccinate them all on priority was also highlighted in a communication addressed to the minister," he said.

Earlier, Justice Ramana praised Justice Raveendran, saying he continued to be humble and discharged his duties with distinction and commitment.

Justice Raveendran believed in Lord Denning's words “that the best judge is one who is less known and seen in the media", the CJI said while releasing the book by a former Suprme Court judge.

"Through this book, Justice Raveendran undertakes to explain in simple terms, various deficiencies in the law which require to be overcome, so that common man does not lose faith in the judiciary and the legal system," he said.