Supreme Court Judge: Trial Courts Are the Backbone of Justice System
A Supreme Court judge on Saturday described trial courts as the backbone of the justice delivery system, noting that they are often the first and only point of contact with the judiciary for most citizens. Justice K.V. Viswanathan made the remarks while inaugurating a new combined court complex and judicial officers' residential quarters in Pollachi, Tamil Nadu.
Speaking at the event, Justice Viswanathan emphasised that a court is not merely a physical structure but a constitutional institution that inspires confidence in the rule of law. “A court is not merely a structure of bricks and mortar. It is a constitutional institution that inspires confidence that everyone’s rights will be protected under the rule of law,” he said.
He also called on bar associations to establish structured mentorship programmes, where senior advocates guide junior lawyers. The Madras High Court Chief Justice, Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari, noted that the five existing courts in Pollachi—the Sub Court, Principal District Munsif Court, Additional District Munsif Court, and Judicial Magistrate Courts I and II—were operating from congested premises within the Sub-Collector’s office campus. The new complex, built at a cost of ₹40.57 crore on 3.14 acres, provides infrastructure for 10 court halls, addressing future requirements and offering improved facilities for litigants, advocates, and judicial officers.
The ground-plus-three-floors building has a built-up area of approximately 1.84 lakh square feet. It includes court halls, judges’ chambers, court offices, legal aid facilities, a library, a 200-seat conference hall, a Bar Association hall, videoconferencing facilities, and parking for 100 cars. The state government sanctioned an additional ₹14.59 crore for furniture, compound walls, approach roads, and other amenities before handing over the complex to the Judicial Department on June 30.
The residential campus comprises five judicial officers’ quarters across three blocks, each equipped with essential amenities, lifts, and uninterrupted power backup. Justice Dharmadhikari said that Coimbatore district has 59 courts, of which 47 function from dedicated judicial buildings and 12 from shared government premises. With the new complex, one more set of courts has moved into an independent judicial building.
