Setting Up of National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms

On 23 June 2011 the Union Cabinet of India approved of a proposal of the law ministry for a National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms, providing for fast track courts to clear the backlog in the judicial system.

The objective of the Mission is to increase access to justice by reducing delays and arrears in the system and enhance accountability through structural changes and by setting performance standards. The objectives are to be achieved in a time bound manner by 2015-16 through a mission mode approach. The Mission is planned to have a Mission Directorate, an Advisory Council and a Governing Council for overseeing the implementation of the Mission.

Areas covered by the National Mission

Policy and legislative changes, re-engineering of procedures, human resource development, leveraging ICT and improve physical infrastructure of subordinate courts. Infrastructure development is a much needed requirement of the subordinate judiciary. Through enhancement of the funding pattern from 50:50 to 75:25 for the States and 90:10 for the North-East region under the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme the requirement is planned to be met. The Central Government assured of bearing an estimated expenditure of Rs. 5510 crore for five years for the Mission Mode Project.
It aimed to increase access to justice by reducing delays and arrears and enhanced accountability through structural changes and by setting performance standards. The focus was on infrastructure development in the courts through computerisation, improving physical infrastructure and human resource development.

The salient features of the National Mission are –

•    The National Mission would comprise of Advisory Council, Governing Council, National Mission Leader and the Mission Directorate.
•    The Advisory council is to advise on the goals, objectives and strategies of the National Mission and the Action Plan and its implementation and performance of the Mission in meeting its objectives and would be chaired by the Minister for Law and Justice and would have membership from Parliament, State Governments, Jurists & senior officers of Government of India.
•    The Governing Council would facilitate implementation, give policy directions and oversee the work of the Mission and would be headed by the Minister for Law and Justice.
•    The Secretary, Department of Justice would be the National Mission Leader.
•    A Mission Directorate would be constituted to implement and monitor the various initiative/program of the National Mission.  It would be headed by an officer of the rank of the Joint Secretary who would act as the Mission Director.
•    An Action Plan has been drawn up which would of course be subjected to change once the Governing Council meets to set out the agenda.
•    Inadequacy of infrastructure facilities in District and Subordinate courts has remained a major bottleneck in the judicial system largely contributing to the accumulation of arrears.  So, a preliminary assessment of requirement of infrastructure for subordinate courts from the States was also made.