PIL on judges appointments adjourned

BENGALURU: The hearing of a public interest litigation seeking directions to expedite the process of appointment of judges to the Karnataka High Court was adjourned to November 15.  During the hearing a division bench of Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice John Michael Cunha asked the counsel of the petitioners to study a recent judgement of a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court on the Memorandum of Procedure (MOP) in relation to appointment of judges. In its judgement, the apex court had termed the appointment of judges an an administrative action.

Justice A N Venugopala Gowda, a former judge of the Karnataka High Court, and two advocates S Basavaraj and B M Arun had filed this petition stating that only 25 judges are working as against the total sanctioned strength of 62.  During the hearing, senior counsel B V Acharya submitted that it requires 10 to 20 years to clear the existing pendency of 3.11 lakh cases even if all the vacant posts of judges are filled.