Judicial Infrastructure, judges appointments, case pendency: Key developments from joint conference of CMs and High Court CJs

The Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana and Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju held a joint press conference on Saturday to discuss the developments that took place at the joint conference of Chief Justices and Chief Ministers..The CJI informed the attendees that the status of the 2016 conference's resolutions was discussed, along with the national judicial infrastructure, appointment of district judges. He also said that unanimous resolutions were passed. The Law Minister, on the other hand, said that Chief Justices and Chief Ministers participated in a free and fair manner and issues including judicial appointments were discussed. .The CJI began by stating that there was a unanimous agreement on the need to improve judicial infrastructure. He also said that the Chief Ministers had requested infrastructure fund from the Central government. "We passed resolution to create National Judicial Infrastructure authority as a special purpose vehicle," he said..On the much discussed issue of pendencies, the CJI Ramana said that judicial pendency would be cleared as per the judgment in the Imtiyaz Ahmed case. .He also discussed compliance with the time schedule laid down in the Malik Mazhar Sultan case. "State provide apt benefits to retired judicial officers. For High Court officers, all constitutional authority to strictly adhere to the timelines laid down for appointments.".In terms of legal aid, he pointed to the vision document released by the legal services committee. The document- "a vision for the future" was released by CJI NV Ramana. The document was conceptualised by Justice AM Khanwilkar and it provides a road map for modernisation and capacity building of Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC) and interfacing with other legal services committees pan India for achieving the motto, “Access to Justice for all”..Addressing the growing need for network connectivity, the CJI shared that that a resolution had been passed that the Central Government would provide adequate IT infrastructure and the States would maintain it."All Chief Ministers expressed issues of network connectivity. So resolution is Centre will provide adequate IT infrastructure and States will maintain it. States will also maintain IT manpower and provide funds to meet digitisation needs," the CJI stated. Read more here on what CJI Ramana said on augmenting security in District Courts. .Read our live coverage of the press conference below.