‘SC heavily CJI-centric’: Justice AS Oka says top court’s ‘picture must change’ | India News

NEW DELHI: In a candid and reflective farewell deal with, Justice Abhay S Oka on Friday described the Supreme Court of India as a “Chief Justice-centric court,” calling for a extra democratic administrative strategy in gentle of the court’s various composition of 34 judges from throughout the nation.Speaking at a farewell occasion organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association, Justice Oka emphasised the necessity to shift away from a centralised mannequin of functioning, information company PTI reported. “The high courts operate more democratically because major administrative decisions are made by a committee of the five senior-most judges,” he mentioned. “In contrast, I have found the Supreme Court to be heavily Chief Justice-centric.That image must change,” he mentioned.Justice Oka additionally raised considerations concerning the judicial system’s neglect of the trial and district courts, which he known as the “backbone of the judiciary.” Highlighting the extreme backlog of circumstances, he famous that some issues have remained unresolved for over three a long time.Turning to the Supreme Court’s case itemizing course of, Justice Oka advocated for better reliance on expertise to handle inefficiencies. “People question why some cases are listed the very next day while others remain pending for weeks. Unless we reduce manual intervention and adopt AI-driven systems, we cannot ensure fair and rational listing,” he mentioned.He additionally introduced that he wouldn’t be participating with the media instantly after his retirement. “I need a cooling-off period of two to three months. Right now, my mind is full of emotions, and I don’t want to say something I might later regret,” he defined.In a written message to the bar, Justice Oka urged introspection quite than celebration on the event of the Supreme Court’s seventy fifth anniversary. While acknowledging the courtroom’s contributions, he said, “In my personal view, the Supreme Court has not fully met the expectations of the citizens of India.”He additionally drew consideration to the overwhelming backlog within the apex courtroom. “There are over 80,000 pending cases. Despite having 34 judges, we are unable to control the arrears. Reducing this burden requires joint efforts by both the bar and the bench,” he mentioned.