As Punjab and Haryana High Court grapples with judges’ shortage, 1,065 cases lingering for over 30 years

Tribune News Service

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, January 1

In Punjab and Haryana High Court, the wait for justice can last up to four decades. It reopens this week after a short winter break with 1,065 cases pending for more than 30 years. No less than 20,618 or 4.67 per cent of the total cases are pending for 20 to 30 years as against 16,633 or 3.71 per cent this time last year.

In all, the high court has a pendency of more than 4,41,070 cases — almost the same as last year. Among the total pending cases are 1,65,386 criminal matters involving life and liberty. The situation is unlikely to improve in the coming months due to a shortage of 28 judges. The high court currently has 57 judges as against the sanctioned strength of 85. As many as six judges are retiring this year upon attaining the age of superannuation.

The available information suggests nine district and sessions judges are to be elevated, but these appointments are likely to take time. The process of appointing judges is lengthy and time-consuming. Once cleared by the states and Governors after the recommendation by the High Court Collegium, the file containing the names with Intelligence Bureau reports is placed before the Supreme Court Collegium. The names cleared for elevation are then sent to the Union Law Ministry before their warrants of appointment are signed by the President. The entire exercise can take several months, if not taken up on a priority basis.

The National Judicial Data Grid — the monitoring tool to identify, manage and reduce pendency — indicates that 63,515 or 14.4 per cent of the pending cases fall in the bracket of one to three years. Another 55,910 (12.68 per cent) are awaiting adjudication for the last three to five years. As many as 1,26,898 or 28.77 per cent are pending for five to 10 years and 99,244 or 22.5 per cent of the cases are 10 to 20 years old.

More than 31,534 pending cases, including 23,240 related to civil matters and 8,294 to criminal, have been filed by senior citizens. Another 22,676 cases (15,033 civil and 7,643 criminal) filed by women are yet to be decided.

The oldest case, perhaps, is a regular second appeal filed in 1976 by Rachhpal Singh against Sohan Singh in a land matter pertaining to the Gurdaspur area.

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