A Supreme Court-appointed panel on Monday placed before Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant its interim report containing a nationwide blueprint for modernising court infrastructure across the country.

The CJI had constituted the Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee on May 12, headed by Supreme Court Justice Aravind Kumar.

Its other members include Calcutta High Court Justice Debangsu Basak, Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, Bombay High Court Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan and Central Public Works Department Director General Satinder Pal Singh.

Supreme Court Secretary General Bharat Parashar serves as the Committee’s Member Secretary.

According to a press statement issued by the Supreme Court, the committee has prepared a blueprint with the purpose of securing suitable government allocation for court modernisation and to address infrastructural deficiencies through substantial financial support.

The Committee examined measures for establishing modern court complexes and improving the working conditions of judicial officers and administrative staff to enhance the efficiency of the justice delivery system.

Its mandate included identifying infrastructural constraints affecting the justice delivery system and suggesting facilities required for judges, court staff, lawyers, litigants and visitors.

It was also tasked with recommending measures for the computerisation of courts under the e-Courts initiative, proposing citizen-centric services to make justice delivery more inclusive and suggesting steps to bridge the digital divide.