Legal academies should not only be restricted to impart training to judicial officers, but also to other stake holders exercising quasi-judicial functions, law students and the public, Chief Justice of India TS Thakur said on Monday. 

“The aim and objective of legal academies should not only be restricted to impart training to judicial officers, but also to other stake holders exercising quasi-judicial functions, law students and the public,” Thakur said, addressing a gathering after inaugurating a hostel block of the HP Judicial Legal Academy at Ghandal in Shimla.

Expressing concern over heavy investment in judicial academics serving the purpose, the CJI said that state  academies need to maintain liaison with  the National Judicial academy to chalk out the curriculum of the courses with the purpose of training so that the state  academies doesn’t remain un utilised or ideal.

“I will urge the chief justices of state and the judges that the motive of this academy should not remain unutilised or defeated,” he said.

Urging special training modules for the purpose, Thakur said it becomes the duty of high court judges to maintain the academies and to see that the courses were specifically designed for being carried out throughout the year as much was being spent on such institutions and academies.

Thakur also assured Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh that he will take up the matter with the prime minister and, if need be, with the finance minister for additional financial assistance to the state government for completion of the National Law University.

The CJI thanked the state government for spending huge amount on legal academy which would not only help students from Himachal but will also invite talent from other parts of the country as well.  He said besides limited resources, Himachal Pradesh had made rapid strides in the education sector.  He complimented the engineers for the magnificent complex and congratulated the chief minister for supporting the projects for the judiciary. 

Thakur also laid the foundation stone of the National Law University at Ghandal to come up with estimated cost of Rs.137 crore as per initial estimates.