Courts must offer reassurance like hospitals, says CJI

Tirupati: Chief justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant said that judges carry the responsibility of instilling confidence among thousands of people who approach courts seeking justice, assuring them that fairness and protection will be delivered through the legal system.He spoke at the foundation stone-laying and bhoomi puja ceremony for a new court complex comprising 16 court halls at Daminedu village in Tirupati rural mandal on Sunday.The CJI attended the programme along with Supreme Court judges Justice JK Maheshwari, Justice PS Narasimha, Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, Justice S V N Bhatti and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The event marked the beginning of construction of a modern district court complex aimed at improving judicial infrastructure in the region.Speaking at the event, CJI Surya Kant said he always believed that court complexes should function like hospitals. Just as a patient visiting a hospital expects immediate care and reassurance, every person entering a court should feel safe and confident that justice will be delivered. This responsibility rests equally on both the Bar and the Bench.The CJI expressed hope that the new complex would emerge as a ‘temple of justice', where every visitor leaves with satisfaction after receiving justice. He also appreciated the intellectual strength and historical legacy of the Tirupati Bar and wished for its continued growth. The new complex, he said, would provide a better working environment for lawyers and judicial officers.Justice JK Maheshwari said that ensuring affordable access to justice and delivering decisions within predictable timelines would remain key challenges. He urged state govts to plan judicial infrastructure keeping in mind the needs of the next 50 to 100 years, noting that urbanisation and population growth would make land availability difficult in the future.Andhra Pradesh high court chief justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur said significant efforts were made to strengthen judicial infrastructure in the state after bifurcation despite difficult circumstances. He stressed that better infrastructure directly improves efficiency in the justice delivery system and recalled how courts continued functioning even during extreme situations such as floods in Jammu and Kashmir, demonstrating the commitment of the judiciary.According to officials, the new district court complex will be constructed on about 14.49 acres near Tirupati, with a total built-up area of 2.40 lakh square feet. Only 9 per cent of the land will be used initially for construction, while a significant portion is reserved for future expansion and parking facilities.The design draws inspiration from Tirupati temple architecture and will include 16 court halls, a medical room, library, auditorium, meeting halls and modern technological infrastructure. Escalators will be installed to facilitate movement of visitors, and the layout is planned to allow natural light and ventilation.Justice Ninala Jaya Surya described the occasion as a memorable milestone in the history of the district judiciary, stating that the presence of the Chief Justice of India and Supreme Court judges would inspire members of the Bar and Bench. Tirupati Bar Association President G Gajendra said the new complex fulfilled a long-pending need, as lawyers and litigants faced difficulties due to congested and outdated buildings for many years.Judges of AP High Court Justice D Ramesh, Justice K Maheswara Rao, Justice TCD Sekhar, DIG Shemushi Bajpayee, Combined Chittoor District Principal Judge Aruna Sarika, additional district Judge Gurunatham, Tirupati district collector Dr S Venkateshwar, SP L Subba Rayudu and others took part.