SALEM: Supreme Court judge MM Sundresh inaugurated two multi-storeyed court buildings built at a cost of Rs 59.43 crore, within the combined court building campus at Hasthampatti in Salem on Sunday.
The newly developed facility, equipped with modern infrastructure, is expected to significantly strengthen judicial capacity in the district and improve the pace of case disposal, particularly at the trial court level.
Speaking at the event, Justice Sundresh said, "Around 3.5 crore criminal cases are pending across the country, and a majority of them require timely disposal through a more effective and coordinated approach."
Stressing that the growing delay in justice delivery continues to remain a serious concern that must be addressed without, in any way, compromising the quality and fairness of judicial outcomes, he noted, "A total of 4.81 crore cases are pending across India, of which a substantial 4.18 crore cases are before district courts alone, thereby placing immense pressure on the lower judiciary.
Out of these, 3.5 crore are criminal cases, including nearly 2.5 crore involving offences punishable with up to seven years, many of which can be disposed of with a more streamlined and coordinated approach."
Referring to Tamil literary traditions, he remarked that the concept of justice has deep cultural roots, with even ancient texts emphasising ethical values, and said that modern judicial institutions must uphold those principles through 'efficiency, accessibility, and integrity.'
He added that newly established court complexes such as the one in Salem should evolve into centres of reform-oriented justice delivery rather than merely functioning as administrative spaces.
Madras High Court Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari, who also addressed the gathering, said the judiciary must remain "strong, resilient, and independent, acting as a shield that protects citizens' rights while upholding constitutional values without yielding to power or influence."
Several High Court judges, district officials, police officers, and members of the bar associations were present at the event, marking a significant addition to Salem's judicial infrastructure.
