Supreme Court Judge Flags Need for Performance Evaluation Mechanism for Judges

Syllabus: GS2/Judiciary

In News

• Recently, Supreme Court judge Justice Surya Kant emphasized the need for a performance evaluation system for judges with clear parameters to improve judicial efficiency.

Present status 

• India’s judiciary, though respected for its independence, is grappling with rising case backlogs and inconsistent performance.
• Justice Surya Kant has highlighted the urgent need for a structured performance evaluation system to enhance efficiency and rebuild public trust.

Need and Benefits of Performance Evaluation System

• High Pendency: Over 88,000 cases pending in the Supreme Court alone; lakhs more across High Courts and subordinate courts.
  • Clear metrics can help track and optimize case disposal rates across jurisdictions.
• Inconsistent Productivity: Some judges exhibit exemplary disposal rates, while others lag due to unclear benchmarks or systemic inertia.
• Public Expectation: Citizens expect timely justice, and delays erode trust in the judiciary.
  • Objective parameters reduce opacity and foster public trust.
• Performance Evaluation System can prevent overburdening efficient judges while addressing underperformance.

Issues and Concerns 

• Key concerns about implementing a judicial performance evaluation system include the risk of undermining judicial independence if metrics are misused.
• The challenge of defining fair and objective criteria for evaluation.
• The lack of existing precedents in India’s higher judiciary, and the potential for the system to devolve into a ranking or reprimanding tool, which could foster unhealthy competition and impact judicial quality.
• Evaluation can compromise autonomy or invite executive overreach.

Conclusion and Way Forward 

• A performance evaluation system for judges can revitalize the judiciary, not punish individuals. 
• As Chief Justice B.R. Gavai emphasized, judges hold great power and must exercise it with humility and accountability. 
• There are calls for institutionalized introspection through transparent metrics, to make the judiciary more efficient, responsive, and a trusted pillar of democracy.

Source: TH