Lower courts dispose of over 4.4L cases in 2022 in Odisha

CUTTACK: At least 4,47,733 cases were disposed of by the various subordinate courts of Odisha during 2022, 53.28 per cent more than the previous year. The disposal of cases in the subordinate courts had gone up to 2,38,588 in 2021 against 1,26,077 in 2020. While 5,00,404 cases were instituted in the subordinate courts till November 30, the corresponding figure for 2021 was 4,34,810, stated a high court release.

While 72,806 judgments (civil 17,370 and criminal 55,436) were delivered in 2021 the corresponding figure as on November 30, 2022, is 1,41,920 (civil 29,209 and criminal 1,12,711). The percentage of delivery of judgments in 2022 is 51 per cent more than the delivery of judgments in 2021.

“Better disposal can be achieved if Odisha judiciary functions with full strength. While the average working strength of judicial officers was 767 against the sanctioned strength of 962 in 2021, the corresponding figure in 2022 is 776 and 977 respectively,” the release said.

The per capita disposal in 2021 was 311 cases whereas it is 577 in 2022. While the case clearance rate in 2021 ranges from 36.84 per cent to 76.86 per cent, in 2022 it is between 45.76 per cent and 177.32 per cent. As per a report available from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) as many as 15, 58,435 cases were pending in different subordinate courts in the state as of Thursday.

The NJDG data revealed that 2,16,767 cases are more than a decade old. The cases constitute 40.68 per cent of the total number of pending ones. Of the total cases, 3,02,645 are civil cases the rest 12,55,790 criminal. Civil cases usually involve private disputes between persons and organisations. Criminal cases involve an action that is considered harmful to society as a whole.

As per NJDG data, by Thursday, a total of 34 per cent or 5.32,758 cases have been pending for more than five years. At least 3,21,62 cases are more than 20 years old and 3,996 are over 30 years old.