Pendency of cases biggest challenge before judiciary, says CJI

VIJAYAWADA: The pendency of cases in the courts across the country is the biggest challenge that India Judiciary is facing today said the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Sunday. Speaking on the occasion, Justice Gogoi said around 3 crore cases are pending in the courts.

He observed that out of the 3 crore cases, 81 lakh cases are less than one year old, which cannot be considered as pending as any case will take time for disposing of. Another 50 lakh cases are petty cases which attract only a nominal fine. These cases can be disposed of quickly and the chief justices of high courts should take steps to dispose of these cases.

Justice Gogoi further observed that as many as 25 lakh cases have been pending for more than 10 years which is more worrisome. Another issue that the CJI stressed upon was that the vacancies in the courts across the country.

He said about 5000 positions are vacant at the district level. He said steps are being taken to fill these vacancies and about 75 per cent of the posts will be filled up in 2019 itself. When it comes to high courts about 400 positions are vacant. Out of the 400 vacancies, recommendations for 270 posts yet to be received from the high courts and 100 names are yet to be cleared by the Supreme Court while 14 names are pending with the union government.

He said that the chief justices of high court should send the recommendations quickly and in the coming two weeks the Supreme Court will clear all the pending recommendations. He observed that pendency and lack of judges made justice system vulnerable.