New Delhi: Just two days before he assumes office as the next Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant has outlined his two major priorities for his upcoming 16-month tenure—reducing the mounting backlog of cases in the judiciary and giving a strong push to mediation as an effective mode of dispute resolution.
Speaking to journalists on Saturday, Justice Kant highlighted that the Supreme Court alone is dealing with over 90,000 pending cases, a challenge he intends to address “head-on” once he takes charge.
He emphasised that one of the ways to ease pendency in high courts and lower courts is by constituting Constitutional benches on priority. These benches will be tasked with addressing significant questions of law that have stalled judgments in various courts.
Calling for healthier judicial practices, Justice Kant expressed concern over litigants directly approaching the Supreme Court for matters that should first be taken to high courts or lower courts. He stressed the importance of understanding why this trend has increased and finding ways to streamline judicial routes.
Justice Kant named mediation as his second major focus area. He said a substantial portion of pending cases could be resolved through mediation, reducing the burden on courts. “The entire country is talking about mediation today,” he said, revealing that several corporate firms have approached the Supreme Court seeking mediation training for their officers.
He further shared that a number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed with visiting dignitaries who will be in New Delhi for his oath ceremony.
More than a dozen foreign judges and chief justices are set to attend Justice Kant’s swearing-in ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday. Justice Surya Kant will serve as Chief Justice of India until his retirement in February 2027.