High Courts Must Function Like Emergency Wards Of Hospitals With Swift & Precise Response: Justice Surya Kant

High Courts must evolve into institutions that respond to injustice with the immediacy and efficiency of a hospital emergency ward, said Supreme Court judge Justice Surya Kant on Friday. Speaking at the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Jharkhand High Court in Ranchi, Justice Surya Kant stressed that courts should be equipped to deliver rapid, precise, and coordinated relief the very moment a crisis arises, just as emergency departments cannot afford delays when lives are at stake.  

"I believe that High Courts must begin to envision their institutional growth much like a modern hospital designs its emergency services—with structures that are equipped to respond swiftly, decisively, and with precision at the very moment a crisis arises. In the same way that an emergency ward cannot afford delay, our Courts too must aspire to that level of preparedness, efficiency, and coordinated response. This means strengthening technological capacity, streamlining procedures, building specialised expertise, and ensuring that judicial processes can adapt instantly to emerging situations. Only with such foresight can the Judiciary continue to deliver timely and effective remedies, rising to every challenge with the speed and clarity that a constitutional democracy demands. These are not mere administrative ideas; they are the next step in the evolution of access to justice," he said.

Justice Surya Kant underlined that High Courts have the power to act as engines of social reforms. He said their constitutional position, wide jurisdiction, and closeness to the people uniquely place them to shape legal development and drive social transformation. High Courts, he noted, are where the highest principles of justice meet the lived realities of ordinary citizens.  Therefore, High Courts can be "vital engines for legal development and social reform."

Reflecting on his early days on the Bench, Justice Surya Kant shared an anecdote about his very first case, a cross border custody dispute involving two young children. What stayed with him, he said, was not legal complexity but the silent distress of the children caught between borders and courts. That moment made him realise that judging is not merely the application of legal doctrine but a profound responsibility to ensure that the protection of law reaches those most vulnerable.  

Justice Surya Kant said the Constitution created a justice delivery system built on three pillars, each with a distinct but complementary purpose. District Courts address everyday grievances at the grassroots and nurture public trust in the system. The Supreme Court serves as the final national guardian of constitutional boundaries. Between these two, he said, stand the High Courts, which act as the bridge between citizens and the Constitution. Their powers under Article 226, he noted, are wider than even the Supreme Court's jurisdiction under Article 32, since High Courts can protect fundamental rights as well as all other legal rights. This broad authority, combined with their accessibility, makes High Courts essential to ensuring that protection and redress are not distant or delayed.

Calling them the backbone of constitutional justice, Justice Surya Kant said High Courts transform abstract rights into meaningful relief. Their judgments often reflect local realities, cultural contexts, and regional challenges, giving justice a human touch and a local heartbeat. Because each High Court evolves in conversation with its own environment, he added, they have the capacity to drive social change that is both inclusive and grounded in lived experience.

Turning to the achievements of the Jharkhand High Court, he described its twenty-five-year journey as one marked by resilience, innovation, and a deep commitment to constitutional values. He highlighted the Court's landmark decisions protecting tribal rights, workers' dignity, environmental resources, and principles of inter generational equity in mineral extraction. From its early years, when its institutional foundations were still being built, the Court approached every challenge as an opportunity to strengthen the rule of law.

Justice Surya Kant praised the High Court's emphasis on technological reform, calling it essential for improving access to justice. With investments in e filing, real time case tracking, searchable digital databases, and tools for visually challenged litigants, the Court has made its processes more transparent, efficient, and citizen friendly. Technology, he said, is no longer optional for courts but a core component of modern judicial administration.

He also spoke about the Court's humanitarian outreach. Judges of the High Court, he observed, play crucial roles in the State Legal Services Authority, helping design legal literacy and access to justice programmes. This synergy allows the Court not only to uphold constitutional rights within the courtroom but also to guide initiatives that deliver justice to the poorest and most marginalised communities.

Looking ahead, Justice Surya Kant said High Courts must prepare for emerging challenges that will define the next several decades. Rapid technological change, climate pressures, demographic shifts, cyber offences, digital evidence, and resource conflicts will require new skills, scientific understanding, and specialised judicial training. Rising caseloads and procedural delays will continue to test institutional capacity unless courts rethink traditional practices and adopt more resilient models.

As the Jharkhand High Court marked its twenty fifth year, Justice Surya Kant concluded by acknowledging the contributions of its Chief Justices, Judges, officers, and lawyers who have shaped the institution. Their combined efforts, he said, have added depth and harmony to the melody of justice. He expressed hope that the Court's legacy will endure, not just for the next quarter century but for generations to come.