Crisis in subordinate courts

States Sanctioned strength of judges Vacancies Case pendency UP 3224 1360 66,54,410 Bihar 1837 684 17,45,120 MP 2021 706 13,90,851

Gujarat 1496 380 16,01,089 Delhi 799 281 6,82,542 All India 22,545 5,436 2,76,45,404

Source: Law ministry

NEW DELHI: Large number of Judicial vacancies are reasons for huge pendency of cases in lower courts and the situation has only worsened in states over the past few years.UP, MP, Bihar, Gujarat and Delhi, which account for over 62% of the total 5,500 judges post vacant in district and subordinate courts across the country, have also accumulated 43% of 2.76 crore cases pending in lower courts.The latest data released by the law ministry reveals that UP has the highest number of positions vacant in the lower judiciary (1,360), followed by MP (706) and Bihar (684). Together, the three states account for 51% of all vacancies in the district and subordinate judiciary across the country.These states also account for one of the largest number of pendency of cases. While UP tops the chart with 66.55 lakh cases pending in the lower courts, Bihar has 17.45 lakh pendency and Gujarat has over pending 16 lakh cases. The total case pendency in over 17,100 courts across the country stands at 2.76 crore as of July 17, 2018.The Centre has said that filling up vacancies in the lower judiciary is the task of respective high courts and the state governments as well as the central government have little role to play. Even for more than 400 judges post vacant in 24 high courts, the government has said that it is for the Supreme Court and the respective high courts to initiate the process where the Centre only acts as a facilitator to conduct background checks against each recommendation.The Supreme Court and the high courts have constituted arrears committee to formulate steps to reduce pendency of cases in high courts and district courts. At district level, the district judge holds monthly meetings of all judicial officers to monitor the progress made in reduction of long pending cases, minister of state for law PP Chaudhary said in a recent reply in Parliament.Chaudhary said the central government has taken several steps to facilitate faster disposal of cases by the judiciary under its National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms initiatives. These initiatives, include improving infrastructure for courts, leveraging information, communication and technology for better justice delivery, and focus on filling up of vacant positions, he added.