Gujarat High Court sets up mechanism to evaluate judges' performance
Gujarat High Court
Gujarat High Court sets up mechanism to evaluate the performance of judges; 25 ‘poor’ performers undergo 5-day training in physical and mental fitness apart from how to deal with cases; they will be subsequently monitored by chief judge of respective districts and cities
If you thought appraisals are only for corporate employees, look further. For the first time in Gujarat’s judicial history, judges conducting scrutiny of litigants are themselves being assessed for their performance. But before getting pink slips, the ‘poor’ performers have a chance to salvage their performance. Training is provided to them. Then, their work is directly monitored by chief judge of respective districts and cities.
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The 360-degree training was given to them for five days recently. They were then sent back to their respective districts in anticipation that they will be better performers.
“We have earmarked few judges for poor performance and asked the Principal District Judges (PDJ) to ensure their improvement,” said PR Patel, registrar general of Gujarat High Court, without elaborating.
As per unofficial figures, over 50 judges have undergone training in batches at the judicial academy. The latest batch of 25 judges identified from courts across the state, including two from a city court, underwent the training.
Highly placed sources said, “The high court administration has undertaken such an exercise for the first time by evaluating performance of judges. Those who received ‘poor’ performance tag consecutively for ten quarters in appraisals were sent for training apart from being put under the monitoring of their chief judges.”
The HC began the exercise after few of the 39 judges who were terminated from service a couple of years ago had filed petitions in the high court. The sacked judges had made claims that they were not poor performers consecutively, but were earlier given outstanding and excellent performance remarks by their seniors.
How the judges are evaluated Explaining the mode of appraisal, an official said, “The HC recently procured a software in which the judges have to key in cases they have disposed of. The software is accessible to the HC registry, which evaluates the judges’ performance quarterly and yearly with regard to cases disposed by them.”
The judges have to clear cases on two counts — one is BJ (By Judgment) and OBJ (Other than By Judgment). BJ means the cases disposed of through ruling after hearing the parties. OBJ means cases disposed with the parties having settled the matter, de-ath of either party or matters becoming infructuous for one or other reason. The judges also get additional points if they dispose of cases older than five years.
Backlog and vacancies
The piling up of cases and the rising gap between the actual and sanctioned strength in courts has become a matter of concern. There are around 2.68 crore pending cases in the state judiciary. Currently, there are 1,100 judges in the state but fall short of required strength. Even Gujarat High Court falls short by 23 judges of its sanctioned strength. The HC bar members recently took out a rally to demand filling up posts of judges. The Supreme Court and high court review the pendency of cases and ask judges to dispose cases at the earliest.
If you thought appraisals are only for corporate employees, look further. For the first time in Gujarat’s judicial history, judges conducting scrutiny of litigants are themselves being assessed for their performance. But before getting pink slips, the ‘poor’ performers have a chance to salvage their performance. Training is provided to them. Then, their work is directly monitored by chief judge of respective districts and cities.
Read Also:
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A group of 25 judges underwent training a couple of months ago with a dozen-and-half waiting to follow suit. The ‘needs improvement’ performers are called to the judicial academy on the high court campus and imparted training in physical and mental fitness apart from how to deal with cases as per law.
The 360-degree training was given to them for five days recently. They were then sent back to their respective districts in anticipation that they will be better performers.
“We have earmarked few judges for poor performance and asked the Principal District Judges (PDJ) to ensure their improvement,” said PR Patel, registrar general of Gujarat High Court, without elaborating.
As per unofficial figures, over 50 judges have undergone training in batches at the judicial academy. The latest batch of 25 judges identified from courts across the state, including two from a city court, underwent the training.
Highly placed sources said, “The high court administration has undertaken such an exercise for the first time by evaluating performance of judges. Those who received ‘poor’ performance tag consecutively for ten quarters in appraisals were sent for training apart from being put under the monitoring of their chief judges.”
The HC began the exercise after few of the 39 judges who were terminated from service a couple of years ago had filed petitions in the high court. The sacked judges had made claims that they were not poor performers consecutively, but were earlier given outstanding and excellent performance remarks by their seniors.
How the judges are evaluated Explaining the mode of appraisal, an official said, “The HC recently procured a software in which the judges have to key in cases they have disposed of. The software is accessible to the HC registry, which evaluates the judges’ performance quarterly and yearly with regard to cases disposed by them.”
The judges have to clear cases on two counts — one is BJ (By Judgment) and OBJ (Other than By Judgment). BJ means the cases disposed of through ruling after hearing the parties. OBJ means cases disposed with the parties having settled the matter, de-ath of either party or matters becoming infructuous for one or other reason. The judges also get additional points if they dispose of cases older than five years.
Backlog and vacancies
The piling up of cases and the rising gap between the actual and sanctioned strength in courts has become a matter of concern. There are around 2.68 crore pending cases in the state judiciary. Currently, there are 1,100 judges in the state but fall short of required strength. Even Gujarat High Court falls short by 23 judges of its sanctioned strength. The HC bar members recently took out a rally to demand filling up posts of judges. The Supreme Court and high court review the pendency of cases and ask judges to dispose cases at the earliest.
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