Justice Calls for Reform in 'Chief Justice Centric' Supreme Court
Justice Abhay S. Oka, in his farewell speech, described the Supreme Court as 'chief justice centric' and emphasized the need for decentralization. He highlighted the neglect of lower courts, the high pendency of cases, and advocated for reduced manual intervention using technology for case listing. Oka urged introspection over celebration of the court's 75th anniversary, citing unmet citizen expectations.
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Justice Abhay S. Oka, upon his farewell event staged by the Supreme Court Bar Association, openly critiqued the organization of the highest court in the land, describing it as 'chief justice centric'. He asserted the necessity for structural reform in light of its all-India composition of 34 judges.
Justice Oka underscored neglected trial and district courts, branding them as the crumbling backbone of India's judiciary. He pointed to severe pendency, with some cases languishing for 30 years, and advocated for reduced manual intervention using AI for unbiased case listing.
Oka further conveyed that individual media interviews post-retirement would require a hiatus to offer unclouded insights, stressing that the Supreme Court's 75th anniversary mandates introspection on unmet public expectations and addressing its expansive backlog.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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