Guwahati: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said projects worth Rs 300 crore are under way in infrastructure development of the judicial sector in Assam.
Inaugurating the new academic building of Judicial Academy, Assam, at Amingaon on the campus of the National Law University and Judicial Academy (NLUJA) on Saturday, Sonowal said the judicial sector in Assam has witnessed a sea change in recent times because of addition to the existing infrastructure.
"The process of infrastructure development of the judiciary is going on at a satisfactory pace in the state and at present projects amounting to nearly Rs 300 crore are being implemented," he said.
Sonowal added that the basic aim for increased outlay in the sector is to provide the judiciary, especially the subordinate judiciary, quality infrastructure so that speedy justice can be delivered.
Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Sharad Arvind Bobde of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Ajit Singh and many other legal luminaries were present on the occasion.
Sonowal said the role of adequate and periodic training of the judicial officers is of paramount importance. "This assumes even more importance due to constant evolution of legal principles, laws and norms of justice," he said, adding that the new academic building that cost Rs 20 crore will cater to the need of quality legal education of judicial officers of the state.
He also urged the judiciary to stand by the "weakest of the weak" and initiate steps for making people more conscious about laws. Highlighting the huge number of pending cases in the courts, the chief minister urged the judiciary to work on mission mode for disposal of pending cases.
Justice Gogoi spoke about the importance of in-service training for judicial officers to improve their ability and efficiency. He also acknowledged the role of the North Eastern Judicial Officers' Training Institute in imparting training to judicial officers in the region since 1981.
He also talked about challenges of the region in terms of remoteness and infrastructure bottlenecks.
