Supreme Court Sets Up Standing Committee On Judicial Well-being On World Mental Health Day; Justice K.V. Viswanathan To Chair

According to a press release issued by the Supreme Court, 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 panel comprises

The Committee will be chaired by Justice K.V. Viswanathan, Judge of the Supreme Court of India. Its four other members are:

1. Dr. Savita Malhotra, Former Dean, PGIMER Chandigarh and Professor & Head, Department of Psychiatry;

2. Rajat Mitra, Psychologist, Director and Co-founder, Swanchetan Society for Mental Health;

3. Mrinal Kanwar, Advocate-on-Record, Supreme Court of India; and

4. Aarti Singh, Registrar (J), Centre for Research and Planning, Supreme Court of India

The release acknowledges that 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.”

In response to these occupational demands, the Committee has been set up “to provide a structured institutional mechanism for identifying and addressing issues affecting the professional and personal well-being of judicial officers.”

The Court has linked the issue directly to the quality of adjudication, stating that “the well-being of judges is not merely a matter of individual welfare but is closely connected with the efficiency, quality and sustainability of the administration of justice.”

Centre for Research and Planning study on District Judiciary forms the evidentiary basis

The Committee’s constitution follows research by the Centre for Research and Planning, Supreme Court of India, examining the well-being of judicial officers serving in the District Judiciary.

As per the press release, the study covers “occupational stress, workload, mental and physical exhaustion, staffing shortages, infrastructural limitations, administrative responsibilities, transfers, work-life balance and the availability of institutional support.” Its findings are described as “an important foundation for developing evidence-based institutional measures to address these challenges.”

Standing mandate to replace isolated interventions with a sustained framework

The Committee will function as “a continuing institutional platform to examine existing and emerging challenges concerning judicial well-being.”

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

The stated objective is “to move beyond isolated interventions and establish a sustained framework for promoting judicial well-being across the judicial system.”

Initiative draws on the Nauru Declaration and UN-recognised International Day for Judicial Well-being

The Supreme Court has placed the initiative within a wider international framework. It draws upon the Nauru Declaration on Judicial Well-being, adopted on 25 July 2024, which, per the release, “emphasises the need for systemic, evidence-based measures to safeguard the physical and mental health of judges.”

The release also notes that the United Nations General Assembly, in March 2025, proclaimed 25 July of every year as the International Day for Judicial Well-being, “acknowledging the vital relationship between judges’ well-being and the effective administration of justice.”

By creating a dedicated mechanism for “studying, addressing and periodically reviewing judicial well-being,” the Supreme Court said it seeks “to promote a healthier and more supportive working environment for judicial officers.”

The release closes on what it terms a fundamental principle: “the well-being of those entrusted with delivering justice is integral to the strength, effectiveness and long-term sustainability of the judicial system.”