Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant has emphasised that modern judicial infrastructure and access to justice are complementary pillars of an effective justice delivery system, not competing priorities. In an interaction ahead of the inauguration of the Tower of Justice in Gurugram, the CJI outlined a vision where world-class infrastructure, technology, and constitutional values converge to make justice more accessible, efficient, and humane.
Infrastructure and Access: Complementary Pillars
Justice Surya Kant stated that a court building has meaning only when it helps reduce the distance between the citizen and justice. “Infrastructure is essential because it creates the conditions for efficient functioning, better case management and dignified access to courts. At the same time, the real test is whether the ordinary litigant feels heard, respected and treated with fairness,” he said.
The CJI asserted that the objective of judicial modernisation extends beyond creating world-class court complexes or introducing cutting-edge technology. Every reform initiative must ultimately strengthen public confidence in the justice delivery system and reinforce the constitutional promise that justice remains accessible to every citizen.
Technology as a Constitutional Instrument
Speaking about the judiciary's digital transformation, Justice Surya Kant said technology should not be viewed merely as an administrative convenience. “Technology has become a constitutional instrument. It can improve transparency, accessibility and efficiency, but it cannot replace judicial conscience. The responsibility of ensuring fairness will always remain with human judges,” he emphasised.
He noted that initiatives under the e-Courts programme—including electronic filing, virtual hearings, digital records, and technology-enabled case management—are intended to make courts more accessible and efficient without diluting the human element of adjudication. Technology and artificial intelligence have the potential to substantially augment judicial administration, but the legitimacy of the justice system will always rest on human judgment and constitutional conscience.
Equality Before the Law and Inclusivity
Justice Surya Kant linked judicial reform with the broader constitutional guarantee of equality before the law. He stated that the objective is not merely to improve disposal rates but to ensure that financial, social, or procedural disadvantages never become obstacles to justice. “No citizen should feel that justice is beyond reach because of financial, social or procedural barriers. The legal system must be approachable, compassionate and inclusive,” he said.
Access to justice, in his view, cannot be viewed merely as an administrative objective but as an essential component of the rule of law. Judicial institutions must remain responsive to the needs of the weakest and most vulnerable sections of society. The success of institutional reforms will ultimately be measured not by the sophistication of infrastructure alone but by the confidence they inspire among citizens seeking justice.
Balancing Efficiency and Fairness
The CJI asserted that infrastructure alone cannot resolve every systemic challenge, yet adequate courtrooms, robust digital facilities, and coordinated administrative support are indispensable for improving judicial efficiency. “Better infrastructure enables judges and court staff to function more effectively. It is an investment in the quality and speed of justice delivery,” he said.
Justice Surya Kant stressed that judicial reforms must continually balance efficiency with fairness so that the pursuit of faster disposal never comes at the cost of reasoned adjudication or procedural justice. Modernisation must strengthen the institutional capacity of courts while preserving their constitutional character.
Vision for the Judiciary
When asked about his vision for the judiciary over the coming decade, Justice Surya Kant said: “The goal is a judiciary that is modern yet humane, technologically advanced yet constitutionally grounded, and efficient yet deeply sensitive to the human realities behind every case.”
He concluded that judicial modernisation is not confined to constructing better court buildings or deploying newer technologies. The larger endeavour is to build institutions that remain efficient without becoming mechanical, technologically advanced without losing their human character, and firmly anchored in the constitutional promise of accessible, fair, and compassionate justice.
Tower of Justice Inauguration
The newly constructed Tower of Justice (New Judicial Courts Complex) in Gurugram will be inaugurated on Sunday, July 12, by CJI Justice Surya Kant in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. Gurugram District and Sessions Judge Narender Sura said the function will be attended by Judges of the Supreme Court; Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra; Companion Judges of the High Court; Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Chairman, Building Committee (Haryana), Justice Harsimran Singh Sethi; and Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Administrative Judge, Gurugram Sessions Division, Justice Rohit Kapoor.
Union Cabinet Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Union Ministers of State Arjun Ram Meghwal and Rao Inderjit Singh will also attend the event. Gurugram Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh, IAS, will be present. The new judicial complex is expected to significantly augment court infrastructure and strengthen the delivery of justice in Gurugram.
