Case pendency: We have built temples of justice with doors too narrow, says CJI Gavai

CJI Gavai said “in the world’s largest democracy, access to justice has been till recently a privilege of prosperity. When legal fees eclipse monthly incomes, when procedures demand literacy that millions lack, when courthouse corridors intimidate more than they welcome — we face a stark reality. We have built temples of justice with doors too narrow for the very people they were meant to serve. The scales of justice cannot balance when only one side can afford to place their grievances upon them.”

He said “while case pendency and legal aid operate in different spheres of our justice system, they converge at a critical point — the citizen’s quest for timely justice… even the most robust legal aid framework loses its meaning when justice arrives too late…”

On what drives this accumulation of cases, the CJI said, “the answer lies in multiple interconnected factors requiring candid introspection from all stakeholders. Both Bar and Bench, despite finest intentions, have developed practices that collectively contribute to extended timelines. Adjournment requests, while often necessary, have become frequent features of proceedings.”