The News Minute | September 1, 2014 | 04:03 pm ISTJustice delayed is justice denied! The Union Law & Justice Minister has assured that he will take all steps to ensure that justice is not delayed to the common man. Inadequate numbers of judges coupled with infrastructure deficiencies are the major causes for thousands of cases pending in courts. He made this assurance during his speech in the 22nd Annual Convocation of National Law School of India University, Bangalore. “We also must address the fact that the justice delivery system itself is weighed down with issues of pendency and backlog of cases,” he said, reported the Live Law. On the infrastructure side, he said that the government had approved to increase the strength of the High Courts by 25%. “On a more positive note, I’m pleased to announce that there has been an in principle approval to increase in the sanctioned strength of High Courts by 25 per cent,” he said. Throwing light on the fact that Indian prisons had 66% of under trials, he pressed on the need for faster delivery of justice. To this affect he said that the courts needed to be linked through information and communication technology and that the government at the centre had already begun co-ordinating with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and the Supreme Court e-committee to get over 14,000 Subordinate Courts computerized. “By extending a hand financially, we are hoping that the resources of the state government would be bolstered to ensure that judicial infrastructure is robust, and as per global standards, that is the ultimate goal. This includes construction of court premises and buildings as well as residential accommodation for judicial officers,” he added.He also made a mention about the much talked about, and controversial, NJAC. “This was a process for which the wheels were set in motion at least two decades ago. We are now committed to developing the databank of the performance of young lawyers so that the best talent is considered for appointment as judges,” he said.