Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan Gavai on Friday stressed the need for decentralising the judiciary to ensure that justice is accessible at the grassroots. He was speaking at a public function after inaugurating a new court building in Daryapur town of Maharashtra’s Amravati district—his native region.
CJI Gavai, who took charge as the Chief Justice in May this year, said that as the head of the Judicial Infrastructure Committee, he had designed a model to establish new courts at taluka and district levels to bring the judiciary closer to the people. “Work on the proposal is underway, but red tapism in both courts and the government continues to be a challenge,” he remarked.
The Chief Justice acknowledged the support of Maharashtra’s political leadership in bolstering judicial infrastructure. He said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and former CMs Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray had all extended a positive approach toward funding and expanding judicial facilities in the state.
Addressing the local gathering, CJI Gavai said he was visiting Daryapur not in his official capacity, but as a son of the soil. The occasion also marked the 10th death anniversary of his father, R.S. Gavai, a former Governor of Kerala and Bihar.
He expressed hope that the newly inaugurated court would help deliver justice to the “last man in the queue,” reinforcing the judiciary’s commitment to equitable access.
Turning to the younger generation of legal professionals, the CJI advised fresh law graduates to pursue proper apprenticeship before aiming for personal success. “If someone dreams of arguing in court and buying a Mercedes or BMW within six months, they must first understand their real motive,” he cautioned.
He further emphasised humility and respect in the legal profession, recalling instances where junior lawyers failed to show courtesy to their seniors or collapsed under courtroom pressure. “Both judges and lawyers are equal partners in delivering justice. The authority that comes with the chair must be used to serve people—not to dominate them,” he said.
