CJI Surya Kant sets up national panel for judicial mental health and stress
The five-member committee will address burnout and heavy workloads across Indian courts as bar leaders seek intervention over detained protesters.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has constituted a permanent committee to address the mental and physical health challenges confronting judicial officers across the country.
Timed to coincide with World Mental Health Day, the Standing Committee on Judicial Well Being will be chaired by Supreme Court judge Justice KV Viswanathan. The panel was formed to create an institutional mechanism to support judges coping with excessive caseloads, prolonged working hours, and complex decision-making.
Standing committee formed for judicial well-being
The panel brings together legal professionals and medical experts. Alongside Justice Viswanathan, its members are Savita Malhotra, former dean and professor at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh; Rajat Mitra, psychologist and co-founder of the Swanchetan Society for Mental Health; advocate Mrinal Kanwar; and Aarti Singh, registrar at the Supreme Court's Centre for Research and Planning.
The initiative follows internal research by the Centre for Research and Planning into occupational stress, staffing shortages, infrastructure constraints, and work-life balance among judges. Official statements noted international precedents for the move, including the Nauru Declaration on Judicial Well-being adopted in July 2024 and the United Nations General Assembly's decision to recognise 25 July as the International Day for Judicial Well-being.
SCBA seeks intervention after lawyers detained
On the same day, Chief Justice Surya Kant faced an urgent appeal from the Supreme Court Bar Association following the police detention of several advocates in New Delhi.
The bar association passed a resolution condemning what it described as the use of excessive force against senior and junior lawyers, including female advocates, who were detained while marching toward Jantar Mantar. The demonstration, called by Citizens for Justice and Peace, was organised to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter-list irregularities during electoral roll revisions.
The SCBA requested the Chief Justice step in to ensure the safety and legal access of those held. SCBA honorary secretary Pragya Baghel subsequently confirmed that all detained advocates were released later in the day.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Committee members | 5 | Supreme Court press release |
| Date UN designated International Day for Judicial Well-being | 25 July | United Nations General Assembly resolution |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Surya Kant | Chief Justice of India who formed the well-being committee and was petitioned by the SCBA. |
| KV Viswanathan | Supreme Court judge appointed to chair the Standing Committee on Judicial Well Being. |
| Supreme Court Bar Association | Bar association that passed a resolution seeking CJI intervention over lawyer detentions. |
