The Indian Judiciary plays an increasingly important role in the life and the governance of this country. However, anyone who has any experience of the courts is aware of the serious problems that beset the judicial system. The issue of judicial reforms has thus far been discussed in only elite legal/judicial circles or among various official commissions and committees of the government. For some time now there has been an increasing realization that this issue needs to be discussed outside these circles as well and common people of this country who are the real stakeholders of the system need to get involved in this issue.

CJAR works so that grassroots pressure comes to bear on the authorities for implementing the needed reforms that will impact:

• Appointment of Judges and Judicial Accountability
• Access to the Judicial System and Delay in Justice
• Values and Attitude of the Judiciary towards the Poor

The following Campaign Statement was released at the First People’s Convention on Judicial Accountability & Reforms.

• Seeking asset declaration of judges
• Seeking transparency and information about appointments and transfers of judges
• Demanding amendment of the Contempt of Courts Act
• Demanding an independent commission with disciplinary powers over the judges
• Demanding removal of restriction on FIRs against the judges
• Exposing and challenging corrupt judges and judgements

• Making courts informal and accessing
• Increasing the strength of the judges
• Video recording of proceedings & video graphing of records

• Critiquing, exposing and challenging the elitist and anti-poor bias of the judiciary and its judgements