Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant emphasized the critical need for robust judicial infrastructure and technological adoption to meet the demands of a growing nation. He made these remarks on Saturday while laying the foundation stone for seven major infrastructure projects within the historic premises of the Patna High Court.
Boosting Infrastructure for Modern Justice
Justice Surya Kant stated that capacity building in judicial infrastructure is essential to handle a growing population, rising litigation, and increasingly complex disputes. The seven new buildings for which foundation stones were laid include:
- An ADR building and auditorium
- An administrative block
- A multi-level car parking facility
- An IT building
- A residential complex
- An annexe building for the advocate general’s office
- A hospital
He also dedicated an e-ACR platform for judicial officers, designed to modernize the online filing and processing of Annual Confidential Reports. Additionally, he virtually inaugurated the Judges’ guest house at Gaya Ji. Patna High Court Chief Justice designate Sangam Kumar Sahoo joined the event via videoconferencing.
Technology as a Tool for Inclusion and Efficiency
The CJI highlighted that appropriate use of technology can reduce court delays, improve transparency, and make the justice system more approachable, especially for the elderly, persons with disabilities, and those in remote areas. "An institution’s strength is closely linked to its technological capacity," he said.
He cautioned that such technological initiatives must be reliable, respect privacy, and be sensitive to the realities of the digital divide. Only then can they become instruments of inclusion rather than exclusion, thereby strengthening overall access to justice.
Training Judiciary for New-Age Challenges Like Cybercrime
Later, at Pothahi on the outskirts of Patna, Justice Surya Kant laid the foundation stone for a new campus of the Bihar Judicial Academy (BJA). Here, he expressed shock at the high incidence of cyber crimes, which have caused common people, particularly senior citizens, to lose thousands of crores of rupees.
He described judicial academies as the "most effective platform" for the district judiciary to keep pace with new complexities in civil and criminal law, including the fast-growing menace of cybercrimes like "digital arrest." He stressed that these emerging challenges make sensitive training and regular updating of judicial officers extremely important. "Courts function through judges, and judges are shaped by training," he stated, calling judicial academies the silent pillars that sustain the justice delivery system.
Reflecting on Bihar's rich legacy, the CJI noted that institutions are not static monuments but living organisms. He recalled that ancient Nalanda was famed for openness to debate and disciplined reasoning, while Patliputra was a centre where administration, ethics, and public welfare converged. In modern times, he said, the Patna High Court stands as a constitutional legacy that has witnessed the working of the republic, the adoption of the Constitution, and the steady expansion of rights and liberties.
