New Delhi, March 16 (NationPress) R. Venkataramani, the Attorney General of India, has advocated for a revised framework for plea bargaining that integrates social, cultural, and economic theories and practices. This call was made during the inaugural session of the seminar titled “Delivering Justice in Time: Global Practices and Indian Experiences,” co-hosted by O.P. Jindal Global University and National Law University Delhi.

“Plea bargaining is becoming a global standard. There is an increasing necessity for a national protocol on plea bargaining—one that can be developed to effectively advise, guide, and counsel both legal practitioners and justice victims. This protocol should operate in a transparent and objective manner. Legal and civil authorities must be ready to take on crucial roles. The Chief Justice of India has agreed to engage in a substantial internal dialogue about this issue. Current legal frameworks will also be evaluated through a new perspective, and concessions will be made for defense as well as state resource management. This resource management is not solely pertinent to plea bargaining; it embodies an economic principle integral to the broader administration of justice. I have been contemplating the establishment of a National Institute for Criminal Justice Administration, which would include a daily index to monitor performance and outcomes. Those engaged in trial courts witness the distress caused by the wastage of resources for the government, institutions, individuals, lawyers, and judges, along with time!”, stated Venkataramani.

“A Legal Health Index is vital for our nation. This index would identify critical factors such as preventative and predictable procedures, access to justice, the roles we can each play, and the resource investment required. Thus, a Legal Health Index must be thoughtfully designed, identified, and implemented. I believe this task need not rest solely with governance institutions; instead, it should involve law schools and universities in its conception and upkeep. Community involvement is also essential to provide diverse perspectives,” added the Attorney General.

In his keynote address, Dr. Abhishek M. Singhvi, Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India and Member of Parliament, addressed the overwhelming backlog of cases in India. “India's legal system is paradoxical; it's capable of generating some of the world's most sophisticated jurisprudence while simultaneously grappling with an enormous backlog of cases. We must tackle the ABCD—access, backlog, cost, and delay. The immediate step is to appoint more judges. We need to fill judicial vacancies, implement multi-track case management systems, resolve longstanding cases through dedicated mechanisms, bolster mediation practices, revive Gram Nyayalayas, and enhance coordination among courts, police, and prisons. Synergy is crucial to address the high volume of pending cases. A holistic, curative, and preventive approach is essential, alongside innovative methodologies. The significant issue of arbitration also needs attention; arbitration has turned into pre-litigation litigation, merely adding complexity to the process. Moreover, there is a lack of trained mediators, which must be urgently addressed. The criminal justice system involves the criminal hearing judge, police, and prison staff, and all these components must work in harmony,” he remarked.

He also suggested reviewing the disparity in retirement ages between High Courts and the Supreme Court, emphasizing the need for consistent long-term reform implementation.

In his welcoming remarks, Prof (Dr) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University, stressed that the rule of law relies not just on constitutional frameworks or legal doctrines, but also on the capacity of institutions to deliver justice in a timely, fair, and effective manner.

“I would like to draw attention to India’s pending crisis—over 5 crore cases are currently unresolved—which calls for systemic reforms. I propose five foundational pillars to transform justice delivery: enhancing judicial capacity, procedural reform and active case management, integrating technology and artificial intelligence in courts, expanding plea bargaining and pre-trial mechanisms, and establishing data-driven justice governance,” he proposed.

Dr. Raj Kumar praised the collaborative efforts between National Law University Delhi, Jindal Global Law School, and O.P. Jindal Global University. He expressed a desire to broaden the seminar into a nationwide series of discussions across various cities and states, aimed at fostering awareness and momentum regarding the urgent need for timely and effective justice delivery in India.

A message from Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for Law and Justice, was also conveyed, expressing his regret for missing the seminar due to official duties, along with his interest in the seminar's outcomes. It was noted that a comprehensive report of the discussions would be presented to him for potential follow-up conversations.

Prof (Dr) G.S. Bajpai, Vice Chancellor of National Law University Delhi, reflected on the profound significance of the seminar’s theme: “Justice in Time.” He cautioned that mere speed does not equate to justice. True legitimacy within the justice system, he emphasized, hinges on fairness, transparency, and procedural integrity. He called for an empirical assessment of the timelines set by India’s new criminal laws and highlighted the necessity to reinforce victim justice frameworks, ensure continuous legal aid from the early stages, and develop a coherent national sentencing policy.

The event culminated in a day-long seminar that featured multiple sessions, including: Institutional & Procedural Reforms: Improving Efficiency In Court Systems; Technology & Timely Justice: Digital Courts, AI, And Data Governance; and Plea Bargaining & Pre-Trial Mechanisms: Efficiency Without Compromising Justice.

Legal experts, senior lawyers, and academics participated in the sessions, including Dr. Pinky Anand, Tanveer Ahmed Mir, Sanjiv Sen, and Maninder Singh, Senior Advocates at the Supreme Court of India, alongside Professor Shireen Moti, Associate Professor at Jindal Global Law School, and Dr. Garima Tiwari, Associate Professor at National Law University Delhi.

Other sessions featured contributions from Dr. Aprajita Bhatt, Associate Professor at National Law University Delhi; Aryan Grover, Founder & CEO of Vetoai, Technologies Bharat Ltd.; Prof Paavni Jain, Assistant Director at the Cyril Shroff Centre For AI, Law & Regulation, Jindal Global Law School; Geeta Luthra, Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India; and Parth Maniktala, Chief Legal Officer at Adalat AI.

The concluding session was led by Prof (Dr) G.S. Bajpai, Vice Chancellor of National Law University Delhi, who delivered the keynote address. Other speakers included Vrinda Bhandari, Advocate at the Supreme Court of India; Prof Vaibhav Chadha, Associate Professor at Jindal Global Law School; Prof (Dr) Khagesh Gautam, Professor at Jindal Global Law School; and Satvik Varma, Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India; moderated by Priyanshi Singh, Academic Fellow at National Law University Delhi.

The introductory remarks were presented by Prof Aparna Babu George, Assistant Professor at Jindal Global Law School, while the Vote of Thanks was offered by Prof Dabiru Sridhar Patnaik, Registrar at O.P. Jindal Global University.