Chief Justice of India Justice Surya on Sunday remarked that judicial complexes ought to be run with the same dedication to service as hospitals, noting that citizens arrive at courtrooms burdened with hope and a desperate need for relief. Speaking at a legal literacy camp following the foundation-stone ceremony for the new Mandi Judicial Court Complex, the Chief Justice pointed out that as infrastructure improves, so too does the burden of responsibility on the legal system. He also observed that while the public discourse frequently centres on fundamental rights, the Constitution’s fundamental duties are equally vital and deserve greater awareness through grassroots initiatives.
The new complex at Mandi is an ambitious project with a budget of ₹152 crore. The complex is built on an area of nearly 10 hectares, with the new facility consisting of four blocks. The new facility promises to provide much better facilities to the judiciary, lawyers, and the public at large. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, also in attendance, reaffirmed his administration's goal of ensuring that justice is not a privilege but a right accessible to every resident. He highlighted the state's success in clearing the backlog of litigation, noting that roughly 550,000 pending cases have recently been settled through the Lok Adalat system.
Sukhu took the opportunity to detail several of his government’s social reforms, such as the decision to adopt 6,000 orphaned children as "Children of the State" and the landmark move to raise the legal marriage age for women to 21. He also touched upon new legislation ensuring daughters receive equal rights to ancestral property. These sentiments were further supported by the Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh, Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, who stated, “True justice does not lie within the four walls of a court, it is at the root of the concept of legal awareness, availability of aid, and the prompt delivery of aid to those who need it most.”
Also read: Education must prepare citizens for self-governance: CJI
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