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The Supreme Court on Tuesday has issued notice in a Public Interest Litigation seeking direction to prepare a layout for and construct a 'Judicial Vista' for enabling "access to better and dignified working conditions for the Judges, members of the Bar and registry officials."

A bench of Justice Vineet Saran and Justice Aniruddha Bose issued notice in the plea filed by Adv. Ardhendumauli Kumar Prasad further seeking direction to the central government to constitute an independent Central Authority for the purpose of administering judicial infrastructure exclusively funded from the Consolidated Funds of India.

It is submitted that the PIL is filed in view of the infrastructural deficit in this Court in terms of the space and other infrastructure for the smooth functioning of this Court.

The plea states that, "The infrastructure that is available at this Hon'ble Court is disproportionate to the growth of the Court in terms of number of Judges, the Registry, the Bar, and most importantly the volume of cases. The present Supreme Court complex constructed in 1958, and renovated from time to time is highly inadequate for the purposes of the present size and volume of the Court."

The plea has sought the construction of a 'Judicial Vista' in the following manner:

1. Construction of a large Multi-Level Complex of Court Rooms with 45 to 50 Court Rooms, with Video Conferencing Facility, and adequate seating facility for the Members of the Bar and the litigants as well as law clerks and interns and proportionate personal chambers for Hon'ble Judges;
2. Construction of a Multi-Level Complex having around 5000 chambers for the Senior Advocates, Advocates on Record, Advocates along with requisite facilities;
3. Substantial space for the various Officers, Sections and staff of the Registry;
4. Underground multi-level parking for about 10,000 cars and other vehicles;
5. Office space for Law Officers of the Central Government;
6. Dedicated office space for the Standing Counsel for all the states similar to the Central Agency Section;
7. Proportionate cubicles for the use of Members of the Bar for conferences, etc;
8. Dedicated waiting lounge for women advocates; etc.

Cause Title: Ardhendumauli Kumar Prasad vs The Supreme Court of India & Ors.