True significance of courts lies not in the grandeur of their buildings but in how effectively they reduce the distance between citizens and justice, chief justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said on Sunday, advising that even as speed in justice is essential, it should never come at the cost of constitutional values.
Addressing the gathering at the inauguration ceremony of the “Tower of justice” in Gurugram, the CJI acknowledged the proactive support of the state government in strengthening the judicial infrastructure in Haryana and said that judicial buildings such as the tower of justice will contribute in creating a more conducive environment for the administration of justice.
The CJI recalled that while serving as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court, he had performed the groundbreaking ceremony of this judicial complex in January 2017.
Gurugram, he said, once known primarily for agriculture, has emerged as a major hub of industry, innovation and investment. More than half of the Fortune 500 companies have their regional offices in Gurugram, while over 1,500 Indian companies and start-ups are operating in the city.
“With the expansion of business and economic activities, disputes relating to property, technology, contracts and employment have also increased,” said CJI, according to a release from the Haryana government.
{{/usCountry}}“With the expansion of business and economic activities, disputes relating to property, technology, contracts and employment have also increased,” said CJI, according to a release from the Haryana government.
{{/usCountry}}“At present, Gurugram courts are dealing with more than 24,000 civil disputes, nearly 1,000 commercial disputes and over one lakh cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act. These figures indicate the growing responsibility of the judicial system.”
At such a time, CJI said, the tower of justice is not merely a modern building but a means of making access to justice more effective. “True significance of courts lies not in the grandeur of their buildings but in how effectively they reduce the distance between citizens and justice. This complex symbolises that vision,” justice Kant said.
Among others present on the occasion were chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Union minister of state for law and justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union minister of state Rao Inderjit Singh, and judges of the Punjab and Haryana high court.
The CJI also laid the foundation stone of the Tawadu and Punhana judicial complexes in Nuh district through virtual mode.
Stating that priority should always be to establish a judicial system that is both efficient and impartial, the CJI said even as speed in justice is essential, it should never come at the cost of constitutional values.
Justice Kant said that the creation of additional courts will facilitate the hearing of more cases, accelerate the disposal of pending matters and significantly enhance judicial capacity, particularly in commercial disputes and cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
The CJI said that the objective is to build a judiciary that is modern yet humane, technologically advanced yet firmly rooted in constitutional values and sensitive enough to understand the human lives behind every case.
“While the focus remains on the expeditious disposal of cases, equal efforts should be made to ensure that no citizen feels deprived of justice because of economic, social or procedural barriers,” the CJI said expressing optimism that the tower of justice will not remain merely an imposing structure but will emerge as a symbol of fair, effective and compassionate justice for every citizen.