SC constitutes Standing Committee On Judicial Well-Being

The Supreme Court on Saturday constituted a standing committee to provide a structured institutional mechanism for identifying and addressing issues affecting the professional and personal well-being of judicial officers.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant constituted the committee, which will be chaired by sitting apex court judge Justice K V Viswanathan.

"In a significant initiative aimed at promoting the mental and physical well-being of judicial officers across the country, Justice Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India, has constituted a standing committee on judicial well-being under the aegis of the Supreme Court of India, coinciding with World Mental Health Day," the top court said in a statement.

The committee, chaired by Justice Viswanathan, will have as its members Dr Savita Malhotra, former dean, PGIMER Chandigarh, and Professor and Head, Department of Psychiatry, Rajat Mitra, psychologist, Director and Co-founder, Swanchetan Society for Mental Health, Mrinal Kanwar, advocate-on-record in the apex court, and Aarti Singh, Registrar (J), Centre for Research and Planning of the top court.

The court, in a statement, said the initiative marks an important step towards recognising judicial well-being as an essential component of an effective, independent and sustainable justice delivery system.

The statement said judicial officers discharge their responsibilities under demanding circumstances, often involving heavy caseloads, prolonged working hours, complex decision-making, administrative pressures and exposure to emotionally challenging and sensitive cases.

"Recognising these occupational demands, the Supreme Court has established the committee to provide a structured institutional mechanism for identifying and addressing issues affecting the professional and personal well-being of judicial officers," it said.

Judges' well-being is not merely a matter of individual welfare but is closely connected with the efficiency, quality and sustainability of the administration of justice, it said.

The statement said the committee would serve as a continuing institutional platform to examine existing and emerging challenges concerning judicial well-being.

"Its responsibilities will include identifying areas requiring institutional intervention, facilitating coordination on welfare measures, developing appropriate guidance and periodically reviewing initiatives undertaken to support judicial officers.

"The objective is to move beyond isolated interventions and establish a sustained framework for promoting judicial well-being across the judicial system," the court said. PTI ABA VN

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