Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who assumed office as the 53rd Chief Justice on November 24, has made it clear that the reduction of pending cases is his foremost priority. Speaking at the 23rd Hindustan Times Leadership Summit (HTLS 2025) in New Delhi, Justice Kant outlined a detailed plan to streamline the judicial system, emphasising the twin tools of mediation and litigation to ensure timely resolution of disputes.

Justice Kant’s remarks, delivered during a conversation with HT’s national legal editor Utkarsh Anand, reflect both a strategic vision for the Supreme Court and a practical roadmap for the broader judiciary. “My first priority will be for the predictable timeline and the national judicial policy based on early resolution of pending cases,” Justice Kant said. He stressed that addressing long-standing cases that “are staring at our faces” is essential to restoring faith in India’s judicial system and making justice more accessible to ordinary citizens.

Mediation as a Game Changer

At the heart of Justice Kant’s plan is mediation. Over the past six months, he has spearheaded a “mediation mission” within the Supreme Court, positioning it as a critical instrument to resolve disputes efficiently and reduce the burden on courts. “Mediation is one tool that I wish, with the cooperation of my sister and brother judges, we would be able to make popular,” he explained.

Justice Kant emphasised that mediation not only accelerates dispute resolution but also empowers litigants by allowing parties to find mutually acceptable solutions. In a country where courts are often clogged with decades-old cases, he believes mediation can significantly reduce delays while maintaining fairness and transparency.

Prioritising Litigation

Alongside mediation, Justice Kant is implementing measures to prioritise certain categories of litigation. He highlighted reforms already underway in the Supreme Court to ensure that cases of high importance or urgency are addressed promptly. “I just want to send a very clear and strong message that the Supreme Court is also meant for the common man, and any ordinary litigant will also have sufficient space and time in the Supreme Court,” he stated.

By prioritising cases strategically, the CJI aims to balance efficiency with access, ensuring that significant public interest matters are handled expeditiously without sidelining the needs of individual litigants. This approach also seeks to prevent the bottlenecks that typically arise when high-volume case categories dominate court schedules.

Strengthening District Courts

Justice Kant also underscored the importance of improving the functioning of district judiciaries, which form the backbone of India’s legal system. He plans to implement training programmes through judicial academies and high courts to sensitise officers and ensure timely, predictable outcomes. “For this, we plan to introduce training programmes through the judicial academy platforms and high court platforms,” he said.

Such initiatives aim to enhance the capacity of district courts to handle contemporary legal challenges while fostering a culture of efficiency and accountability. Justice Kant emphasised that strengthening district-level judicial infrastructure is essential for reducing pendency at higher courts and improving overall access to justice.

Adapting to Modern Challenges

Highlighting the evolving nature of crime, Justice Kant cited the emergence of digital offences and cybercrimes as new challenges for the judiciary. “No one thought that there would be cases of digital arrest. We need to have training programmes regularly, and update our judicial officers with the newer challenges and how to deal with them correctly,” he said.

The CJI elaborated that cybercrime often involves complex, cross-border scenarios where the victim may be in India, but the perpetrator is overseas. “Until we figure out and understand how a crime like this is carried out, the judiciary will not be able to tackle such cases and deliver justice. For this, it is necessary for the judiciary to adapt and learn,” Justice Kant explained.

Such adaptation, he stressed, requires both technical training and an expansion of legal expertise to address emerging forms of criminal activity effectively. By equipping judges with the knowledge and tools to navigate these modern challenges, Justice Kant aims to ensure that the judiciary remains responsive and relevant in a rapidly evolving legal landscape.

Legal Career and Legacy

Born in 1962, Justice Surya Kant began his legal journey in Hisar, Haryana, rising to become the youngest Advocate General of Haryana at the age of 38. He was elevated to the Bench in 2004 and to the Supreme Court in 2019. Over the years, Justice Kant has authored critical judgments across constitutional, criminal, and administrative law. He has served on key Constitution benches, including the Article 370 case concerning Jammu and Kashmir and the recent presidential reference on gubernatorial powers.

Known as a consensus-builder, Justice Kant combines legal acumen with a deep social conscience, reflecting both his early struggles and a lifelong commitment to justice. His approach emphasises fairness, accessibility, and the principle that the judiciary serves the people as much as it interprets the law.

Vision for Judicial Reform

At HTLS 2025, under the theme “Transforming Tomorrow,” Justice Kant’s presentation resonated with the summit’s focus on innovation, resilience, and forward-thinking leadership. His commitment to clearing the backlog of cases, popularising mediation, and sensitising district courts represents a holistic strategy to modernise India’s judicial system.

Justice Kant also reiterated that the Supreme Court must remain approachable for ordinary citizens. “The Supreme Court is also meant for the common man,” he said, stressing that reforms will ensure litigants have access to justice within predictable timelines.

By integrating technology, specialised training, and prioritisation mechanisms, Justice Kant seeks to create a more efficient, transparent, and accountable judiciary. He believes that these reforms are essential not only to address current challenges but also to prepare the judicial system for future demands.

HTLS 2025 Context

The Hindustan Times Leadership Summit has emerged as a platform for leaders across politics, business, culture, and public service to share ideas and strategies for shaping India’s future. The 23rd edition, running from December 4 to December 6, featured speakers including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and prominent figures from global cinema such as Hugh Grant and Aamir Khan.

Justice Kant’s presence at the summit underscored the growing importance of judicial reform in national discourse, highlighting how legal leadership can intersect with broader policy and governance challenges.

Concluding Remarks

CJI Surya Kant’s vision reflects a judiciary poised to balance tradition with modernity, leveraging mediation, prioritisation, and judicial training to address longstanding inefficiencies. His emphasis on accessibility, predictability, and responsiveness signals a commitment to making justice not only swift but also meaningful for the average citizen.

As India’s judiciary navigates the complexities of digital crime, cross-border legal challenges, and a massive backlog of cases, Justice Kant’s reforms aim to establish a sustainable framework that will allow courts at all levels to function more effectively, maintaining public trust while upholding the rule of law.

In the months and years ahead, his leadership will likely set a benchmark for judicial efficiency, combining pragmatism with a forward-looking approach that adapts to contemporary legal challenges while safeguarding the Supreme Court’s role as a guardian of constitutional rights.

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