With Uttar Pradesh being the most populous state in the country, the number of cases pending in courts is high in the state due to the sheer volume of cases as well as the shortage of judges and staff, Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Justice Rajesh Bindal said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a gathering after inaugurating the first floor of the Uttar Pradesh Bar Council building in Prayagraj, the Chief Justice said efforts are on to tackle the shortage of judicial officers and staff. The process to arrive at a temporary solution to the shortage has been started to engage the services of retired judicial officers and employees. Until the permanent solution of appointing more judicial officers and staff, this alternate arrangement will be of use.
The Chief Justice noted that during his tenure three big Lok Adalats have been organised. Justice Bindal noted that the number of cases disposed of at these Lok Adalats have increased steadily. He noted that district courts have also taken up the initiative to dispose of cases that have been pending for years and have produced stellar results.
The Chief Justice also spoke of the changing nature of cases. He said many more Section 420 cases are being filed while noting that civil cases have come down. In some districts, civil cases are as low as barely 10 per cent with criminal cases making up the 90 per cent.
On the now-frequent strikes in district courts, Justice Bindal said the Bar and the Bench should sort resolve the issues leading to such protests. Litigants bear the cost of such strikes and it impacts advocates as well, damaging the citizens’ respect for the justice system.
Chief Justice Bindal underlined the need to maintain the dignity and decorum of the justice system and asked the advocates to be alert to this requirement. He noted that the UP Bar Council was set up the year he was born in and it had enormous responsibility on account of being the largest bar council in the country.