Supreme Court’s Grand Transformation: 27 New Courtrooms and More: CJI DY Chandrachud – India’s Supreme Court is set to undergo a substantial expansion, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud announced on Tuesday. The move aims to bolster the court’s infrastructure by incorporating 27 new courtrooms, along with 4 registrar courtrooms and upgraded facilities for legal practitioners and litigants.
Chief Justice Chandrachud unveiled plans to initiate a comprehensive overhaul of the judicial infrastructure, including the construction of a novel edifice to accommodate the added courtrooms and ancillary amenities.
As part of this endeavor, he disclosed that the museum and annex building will be razed to make room for more courtrooms and specialized spaces for legal associations such as the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA), and a dedicated area for women lawyers.
“We need to overhaul judicial infrastructure at the earliest. We plan to expand the supreme court by constructing a new building to have 27 additional courtrooms, 4 registrar courtrooms and adequate facilities for lawyers and litigants. The museum and annex building will be demolished to create 15 courtrooms, SCBA, SCAORA Meeting rooms, women bar rooms,”stated Chief Justice Chandrachud.
His remarks were delivered during the Independence Day celebrations organized by the SCBA. The Chief Justice informed that the Supreme Court has formally submitted the proposal to the Central government, with the file awaiting review by the Department of Justice. Furthermore, he indicated that based on a comprehensive plan report, the second phase of this project will involve the partial demolition of the existing complex to make way for an additional 12 courtrooms.
Highlighting the past 76 years, Chief Justice Chandrachud noted the substantive contributions of the legislature, judiciary, and executive in advancing democracy. He underscored the intrinsic connection between the history of the Indian judiciary and the struggles of ordinary citizens. In this context, he emphasized the Supreme Court’s responsibility in dismantling barriers that obstruct people’s access to justice. He also highlighted the existence of a well-defined roadmap aimed at ensuring that even the most marginalized individuals can easily access the Constitution.