Need:
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- Pendency of cases (Pendency costs India 1.5%-2% of GDP)
- Judicial vacancies
- Infrastructure gaps
- Lack of judicial accountability
- Lack of diversity in terms of women, SCs, STs and OBCs in the judiciary.
- Judicial Overreach
Key Initiatives for Reform
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- National Mission for Justice Delivery
- e-Courts Project
- Fast Track Courts
- Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR
- Legal Aid Initiatives like Tele-Law and Nyaya Bandhu programs
Challenges in implementation
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- Resistance to change within the judiciary.
- Financial constraints affecting modernization efforts.
- Coordination gaps between the judiciary, executive, and legislature.
- Trust deficit due to lack of transparency.
Way Forward
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- Expand e-Courts for digitization and AI-assisted case management.
- Promote ADR mechanisms to reduce the burden on courts.
- Reform the judicial appointment process and fill vacancies promptly.
- Establish specialized courts and tribunals for faster resolution.
- Strengthen legal aid services and public awareness campaigns.
