'Swift, Decisive, Effective': CJI-designate Justice Surya Kant Says High Courts Must Function Like Modern 'Hospital Emergency Services'

Chief Justice of India-designate Justice Surya Kant on Saturday said High Courts must begin to envision their institutional growth much like a modern hospital’s emergency services, ensuring swift, decisive, and effective responses.“In the same way that an emergency ward cannot afford delay, our Courts too must aspire to that level of preparedness, efficiency, and coordinated response,” he said.Addressing the silver jubilee celebrations of the Jharkhand High Court, which coincided with the state’s foundation day, Justice Kant stressed, “This means strengthening technological capacity, streamlining procedures, building specialised expertise, and ensuring that judicial processes can adapt instantly to emerging situations. Only with such foresight

can the Judiciary continue to deliver timely and effective remedies, rising to every challenge with the speed and clarity that a constitutional democracy demands. These are not mere administrative ideas, they are the next step in the evolution of access to justice.”Justice Kant recalled his first case—an urgent plea for visitation rights in a cross-border custody dispute involving two minor children.“Justice is not only about resolving disputes, but about protecting the innocent from being lost in the storms of circumstance,” he added.Justice further noted that while the parents were separated by national boundaries and years of litigation, the most striking aspect was “the quiet anguish of the children, caught between competing jurisdictions and uncertain futures.”Reiterating his vision, he said, “Only with such foresight can the judiciary continue to deliver timely and effective remedies, rising to every challenge with the speed and clarity that a constitutional democracy demands. These are not mere administrative ideas, they are the next step in the evolution of access to justice.”Positioned between district courts and the Supreme Court, High Courts function as the “bridge between the citizen and the Constitution,” he observed.Justice Kant highlighted the importance of adaptability in judicial institutions, arguing that their strength lies not only in landmark judgments but also in their capacity to innovate. He emphasised the growing need for technological integration—e-filing systems, real-time case tracking, and accessible digital platforms—to ensure that justice remains within reach for all, especially those in remote areas or facing physical barriers.He also cautioned that Indian courts must prepare for an era shaped by cybercrime, digital evidence, climate-related disputes, resource conflicts, and increasing caseloads.