Given the unique challenges faced by Indian judiciary, there is no clear notion of what ‘judicial reforms’ should encompass. This abstraction has resulted in the judiciary finding itself amidst decades’ old problems, with backlog and delay being cited as its most critical manifestations.
In 2017, Vidhi started its multi- year mission – Justice, Access and Lowering Delays in India (JALDI) to comprehensively study, understand, and address the problem of judicial backlog and delays in India. It was an attempt to identify problems and suggest solutions to the systemic challenges facing the Indian judiciary.
Over the last two years, the JALDI Initiative has produced numerous independent reports covering a diverse array of issues. These have ranged from scrutinising gender diversity in the Indian judiciary, to surveying poor judicial infrastructure and the budgetary allocations for courts in India. JALDI has also assisted select High Courts and other public authorities in improving their administrative and judicial side functioning.
Having undertaken rigorous doctrinal and empirical research in the past, the JALDI Initiative will now work on translating its research into actionable solutions through the JALDI Innovation Lab. It will aspire to become a platform for different kinds of expertise to come together and craft solutions for the Indian justice system.