Case Summary: All India Judges Association v. Union of India
Citation: (2018) 17 SCC 555 | (2018) 9 SCR 419
Date of Decision: 2 August 2018
Court: Supreme Court of India
Bench: Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud
Case No: Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1022 of 1989 in I.A. No. 279 of 2010
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Law Points Raised:
- Whether the States are fulfilling their constitutional obligation under Article 39A by providing adequate infrastructure to subordinate courts.
- Extent of delay in infrastructure development projects and reasons for pendency.
- Judicial infrastructure as an essential facet of Article 21 – access to speedy justice.
- Compliance with prior Supreme Court orders for furnishing project-wise updates in a structured format.
- Role and accountability of State Governments in allocation of land and funds for court-related projects.
Ratio Decidendi:
- Judicial infrastructure is not a luxury but a necessity essential for the effective functioning of the judiciary.
- A sound infrastructure is the linchpin of a strong and stable judicial system; failure to invest weakens constitutional governance.
- The State has a constitutional obligation under Article 39A and Article 21 to ensure functional judicial infrastructure.
- Vague or incomplete affidavits and non-compliance with Supreme Court directions are unacceptable and show administrative apathy.
- States are duty-bound to respond with project-wise updates and ensure timely financial and administrative sanctions.
Final Ruling:
The Supreme Court emphasized that robust court infrastructure is central to access to justice and directed all States, especially Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Uttarakhand, to file detailed project-wise affidavits with progress reports in the prescribed formats. The Court reiterated that justice delivery mechanisms cannot be delayed due to lack of infrastructure.
Key Paragraph References:
1 – Five-point questionnaire issued to States for explanation on delay
2 – Record of ongoing infrastructure progress and identification of bottlenecks
3 – Declaration of infrastructure as essential to judicial functioning
4 – Reiteration of prior orders and non-compliance consequences
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