(a) whether the Government has any proposal for construction of 3000 more court halls to accomodate more judges and if so, the details in this regard;
(b) the total numbers of court halls available in the country as on date;
(c) whether the Government has directed the State Governments to implement this proposal speedily; and
(d) if so, the details thereof ?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE AND ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)
(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) of LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *248 FOR ANSWER ON 02ND AUGUST, 2017.
(a) to (d) : The primary responsibility for development of infrastructural facilities for judiciary in the States including construction of court halls rests with the State Governments. The Central Government augments the resources of the State Governments by releasing financial assistance under a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for the development of infrastructure facilities for Judiciary. A sum of Rs.5,844 crore has so far been sanctioned to State Governments / UTs under the Scheme since its inception in the year 1993-94, out of which a sum of Rs.2,399 crore has been sanctioned since the year 2014-15.
As per information made available by High Courts as of December 31, 2016, there were 17,338 court halls / court rooms available for District and Subordinate Courts in the country. In addition, 2,986 court halls / court rooms were under construction. Comparing these figures with the working strength of 16,413 judges / judicial officers reported by High Courts as of December, 2016, adequate court rooms / court halls are available for the current strength of judicial manpower. Focus is now to match the availability of court rooms / court halls with the sanctioned strength of judicial officers / judges in District and Subordinate Courts which is 22,288.
During the Joint Conference of Chief Ministers of States and Chief Justices of the High Courts held at New Delhi in April 2016, it was inter-alia resolved that with a view to (i) identify the infrastructural needs of the State Judiciary by developing suitable five year and annual action plans for the future; (ii) ensure the completion of under construction projects pending for three or more years on a mission mode basis; and (iii) ensure timely completion of projects for the construction of court complexes and residential accommodation, particularly for Judges in the District Judiciary; a Committee of three Judges be constituted in each High Court of which the Chief Secretary and the Secretaries of the Departments of Finance, Public Works and Law be co-opted as Members to ensure that the funds are properly utilised and also to closely monitor the timely completion of projects and to facilitate a proper coordination between the officials at the district level and the decision-making authorities of the State Government.