Aurangabad (Maharashtra), Oct 24 (TIWN) Highlighing major concerns over judicial infrastructure in the country, Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on Saturday made some shocking revelations, including how almost 20 per cent of the judicial officers in the country don't even have proper courtrooms to sit and preside over justice delivery.

In the computer-era, only 27 per cent of the courtrooms have computers on the judges' dais with video-conferencing facility, only 51 per cent courts have a library, 32 per cent have a separate record room and only 5 per cent have basic medical facilities, the CJI revealed.  "Good judicial infrastructure for courts in India has always been an afterthought. It is because of this mindset that courts in Indian still operate from dilapidated structures making it difficult to effectively perform their function," he said. 

Inaugurating the Bombay High Court Aurangabad Bench's Annex Building's B and C Wings along with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju and other dignitaries, CJI Ramana said good judicial infrastructure is important to improve access to justice and meet the rising demands of the people who are more aware of their rights and developing economically, socially and culturally.  Citing a global research of 2018, he said that "failure to deliver timely justice can cost the country as much as 9 per cent of the annual GDP" and without adequate infrastructure for courts, "we cannot aspire to fill this gap".  In his address, Thackeray said he would soon allot land for the extension of the Bombay High Court and invited the CJI to come and perform the ground-breaking ceremony for it.