India, Aug. 28 -- Long before today's space crisis in the Punjab and Haryana high court at Chandigarh, the Supreme Court made it clear: Justice must be within everyone's reach. Justice rests on access, making this debate about people and rights, not bricks and mortar. Articles 14, 21 and 39A make access to justice a right and a State duty; courts out of reach make that right illusory.

This space crunch stems from deeper pressures: Rising filings from population growth and economic activity, avoidable litigation from administrative delays and non-compliance, growing public awareness, and increasingly complex procedures. Any solution must anticipate future growth, while preserving the high court's central role for Punjab, Haryana, and Chan...