CJI-Designate Justice Lalit Announces 3 Major Reforms On Listing & Mentioning Of Cases, Constitution Benches

Chief Justice of India-designate Justice Uday Umesh Lalit made three major announcements regarding the reforms he will try to bring during his 74-day tenure as the next CJI.

Speaking at the farewell function organized by the Supreme Court Bar Association for the outgoing CJI NV Ramana, Justice Lalit made the following announcements :

1. Will bring more transparency in listing system.

2. Will have a system for freely mentioning urgent matters before respective benches.

3. Will strive to have one Constitution Bench functioning throughout the year.

"Let me place some of the parts that I intend to do in my next innings of 74 days. Three areas: I had a word with office of SCBA and SCORA today. This is where we need to take cue from CJIRamana. We must strive hard to make listing as clear, as transperant as possible.

The second area which is mentioning of urgent matter, I will certainly look into. Very shortly you will have a clear regime where any urgent matters can freely be mentioned before respective courts.

Third area, that is of listing of matters before the Constitution Benches and matters which are especially referred to three judge benches. I have always believed that the role of the Supreme Court is to lay down law with clarity. The best way to do it is having larger bench, so that issues get clarified immediately, so that there is consistency and people are well aware of what are contours of peculiar positions of law. We will strive hard to always have atleast one Constitution Bench functioning all throughout the year".

Justice Lalit started his address by saying that he can never match CJI Ramana in his popularity. He counted two major achievements of CJI Ramana- one, the clearing of judicial vacancies, two, the focus given on issues relating to judicial infrastructure.

"Two achievements of CJI Ramana stand out- One, on the side of appointments, more than 250 appointments of judges of the HCs of this country have been made. If you compare the present strength of the judges of the HCs in this country, it is 750 so almost 1/3rd of all strength is a result of the recommendations made by the collegium in last 14 months or so. 

Second facet I noticed was in Chief Justices and Chief Minister's conference. The way Justice Ramana meticulously and very forcefully tried to persuade all CJs and CMs to concentrate on issues concerning infrastructure in the lower Judiciary, was remarkable", Justice Lalit said.

Justice Lalit pointed out that the efforts taken by CJI Ramana are resonating now, when the National Legal Services Authority is taking steps to set up Legal Aid Defence Counsel offices in all districts. Due to CJI Ramana's efforts, all states have been forthcoming in offering space for LADC in all districts.

Justice Lalit, who will be sworn in as the 49th Chief Justice of India on August 27 will have a term till November 8, 2022.