Mon Nov 11 21:58:35 UTC 2024: ## New Chief Justice of India Outlines Vision for Accessible and User-Friendly Courts
**New Delhi, November 11 (ANI)**: India’s new Chief Justice of India (CJI), Sanjiv Khanna, has outlined a vision for making the courts more approachable and user-friendly. Taking oath as the 51st CJI today, Justice Khanna asserted that the judiciary, as an integral, independent part of the governance system, must be accessible to all citizens.
Justice Khanna, known for his landmark rulings, identified several key challenges facing the judiciary, including case backlogs, the high cost of litigation, and complex legal procedures. He pledged to prioritize reforms aimed at tackling these issues.
“We must ensure that the process of law is not grueling for citizens,” he stated, emphasizing the need for simplifying procedures and promoting mediation.
CJI Khanna also emphasized the importance of fair and unbiased adjudication, regardless of a person’s status or wealth. He declared that his vision for the judiciary is one that “provides equal treatment and a fair opportunity to succeed to all.”
As part of his vision, CJI Khanna outlined plans for a self-evaluative approach within the judiciary, receptive to feedback and focused on making judgments more comprehensible to the public.
His six-month tenure as CJI, starting today, will see him focus on reforms aimed at reducing trial durations in criminal cases and improving overall case management. Justice Khanna succeeds Justice DY Chandrachud, who retired on Sunday. His term is expected to end on May 13, 2025.
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