Young members of Bar should familiarise with new laws: Cal HC CJ
The Statesman | 7 September 2025Justice Sivagnanam, accompanied by state law minister Moloy Ghatak and judge-in-charge of West Burdwan, Justice Dr Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee, formally opened the state-of-the-art, four-storey sub-divisional court building, located adjacent to the previously rented courthouse.
Addressing members of the Bar, the Chief Justice urged young advocates to broaden their legal knowledge. “Many new laws and tribunals are being introduced. I encourage young members of the Bar to familiarise themselves with these developments. In industrial regions such as this, unique legal matters often arise, and we hope most of these will be resolved locally rather than reaching the High Court,” he said.
Justice Sivagnanam highlighted the mounting backlog in higher courts, which continues to delay justice. Although figures fluctuate, as of August 2025, there were 16,892 pending civil cases. Between late 2024 and early 2025, a total of 35,57,637 cases were pending across six high courts, including Calcutta, where over 1.27 lakh cases have remained unresolved for more than a decade.
Commenting on the new facility, Justice Sivagnanam noted: “This building has been constructed in accordance with the action plan set out by the National Court Management System. I urge lawyers to maintain its integrity and prevent littering or encroachments that could compromise its sanctity. I recall one of my predecessors having to intervene in similar matters elsewhere.” He expressed gratitude to chief minister Mamata Banerjee and law minister Ghatak for the timely release of funds.
The National Court Management System, established by the Chief Justice of India, is a comprehensive framework aimed at enhancing the efficiency, quality, and timeliness of judicial processes. Construction of the Rs 29 crore facility began in 2018 but has yet to be fully completed. Justice Dr Mukherjee stated, “We are hopeful that regular court proceedings will commence in the new premises by the end of December.”
Debabrata Sain, president of the Durgapur Bar Association, commented: “We have been campaigning for a dedicated court building for the past 20 years.” Minister Ghatak added: “To address the overwhelming backlog of cases, we must accelerate judicial processes. Infrastructure development at the district level will play a crucial role in this effort.”
