Need to create National Judicial Infrastructure Corporation: Justice Ramana

Supreme Court judge Justice N V Ramana on Saturday said the Centre and state governments should come together to form the `National Judicial Infrastructure Corporation' to tackle the judiciary's needs.

Justice Ramana, who is set to become the next Chief Justice of India (CJI), was speaking at the inauguration of a new building for the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court at Porvorim near here.

CJI Bobde and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad were also present at the function, among others.

"Talking of impediments in the way of modernisation, the financial constraints must never come in the path of progress," Justice Ramana said.

The Centre and states should cooperate and create "National Judicial Infrastructure Corporation" to cater to the need for judicial infrastructure in the country, he said.

"Such a corporation will bring uniformity and standardisation required to revolutionise judicial infrastructure," he said.

For ensuring better access to justice sufficient infrastructure is essential, the judge said.

Integrating technology with judiciary has been an uphill task, Justice Ramana noted.

"We have all witnessed courts operating from dilapidated structures without proper record rooms. There are premises without washrooms, waiting rooms," he said.

The coronavirus pandemic posed immense challenges but with the help of the Union government, CJI Bobde took steps to facilitate virtual hearings, he said.

"This exercise addressed issues of geographical limitation and brought (courts) to people's doorstep," Ramana added.

Providing independent video conferencing facilities to all the courts and facilitating e-filing of documents were part of the same effort, he said.

The judge described Goa as a melting pot of different cultures. The coastal state also has a rich legal tradition dating back to 1544 when the Portuguese established the first high court in Asia here, he noted.