‘Criticism easy, let’s underline positives’

nNEW DELHI Criticising the courts and judges is easy, but positive aspects of judicial system should also be highlighted, justice DY Chandrachud said on Saturday.

The Supreme Court judge, who is the chairperson of the apex court e-committee, was speaking at the launch of the panel’s dedicated website.

“Very often we hear criticism. For a change let us talk about the positives of the judicial system. It is very easy to criticize because criticism has that element of curiosity. But let us also talk about the positives of the judicial system,” he said.

Justice Chandrachud further revealed some figures relating to the functioning of the Indian judiciary during the Covid-19 pandemic. Between March 24 and August 28, a total of 28.6 lakh cases were registered in district courts across the country and 12.6 lakh cases were disposed of by the district courts. The Supreme Court heard 15,000 cases and interacted with over 50,000 lawyers

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during that period, he said.

“Let us remind ourselves that when international courts have been talking in single digit figures, we are talking in hundreds and thousands. This, I believe, is a unique achievement of our judicial system,” justice Chandrachud said while thanking the chief justices of high courts for keeping the flag flying by working through the pandemic.

About the e-committee’s official website, justice Chandrachud said it will be a storehouse for data and information, and will give details about the initiatives of the committee. The website, he added, is responsive and provides good navigational experience. It will also be accessible to those who have limitations of physical nature, he pointed out.

He ended his speech by giving details about the upcoming initiative of the e-committee regarding development of an inter-operable criminal justice system.

“As part of this project, we are integrating every element of the criminal justice administration – the prisons, police, courts and forensic laboratories,” he said.