High court's have record 2.52 lakh cases pending for over 20 years

NEW DELHI: The 25 high courts in the country have a record 2.52 lakh cases pending for more than 20 years (as of August 27). Retired Chief Justice of India N V Ramana’s efforts in appointing record 220 judges in these HCs during his 16-month tenure did not, however, have much impact on the disposal rate, which are at an all-time low.
The total pendency in HCs across the country, which was at around 40 lakh in 2014, is currently at 60 lakh. Though the pendency swelled by about 13 lakh cases during the last two years of the pandemic, Covid is not the sole reason behind this rising graph.
It is important to evaluate the performance of these HCs in the last seven years, when both the government and the apex court made efforts to roll out judicial reforms and appointed a record 800 judges to the 25 HCs. Incidentally, Justice Ramana was elevated to the apex court in 2014, just before the NDA government was formed.
A look at the working strength of all HCs reveal the vacancies are at 34.3% as on August 1, with 380 posts vacant — almost the same as in 2014 when it was 35%, with 345 posts vacant. The sanctioned posts of judges have increased by 124, from 984 in 2014 to 1,108 judges now. But it did not help the disposal rate.
The judicial reforms are in its third phase now, but the higher judiciary and lawyers are still reluctant to adopt these modern justice delivery systems where cases are to be filed online: e-filing, e-payment of court fees, e-summons and judgments delivered electronically.
The archaic system is very much in vogue in all the HCs and the SC. The modern system is relegated to only the commercial courts, which have started showing the desired results.
The commercial courts, which have adopted new practices and limited adjournments to three, have brought down the period of disposal of cases by over 50%.