Clear long-pending cases by Independence Day: CJI to courts in the country

More than 63 lakh cases are considered to be delayed due to non-availability of counsel, says CJI Chandrachud

Voicing concern over long-pending cases, some dating back even to the 1970s, Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said courts in the country should move ahead by disposing of such cases in the new year.  

He was addressing a gathering of Andhra Pradesh High Court judges, judicial officers and other legal experts at the Acharya Nagarjuna University on Friday. At the event, the CJI inaugurated the A.P. Judicial Academy, launched the high court’s digitisation programme and various other initiatives. 

The CJI said: “Across the country, almost 14 lakh cases have been delayed as some kind of record or document is being awaited. Across the country, more than 63 lakh cases are considered to be delayed as per the National Judicial Data Grid [NJDG] data, due to non-availability of counsel. We really need the support of the Bar to ensure that our courts are functioning at optimum capacity”. 

He further said, “For instance, in A.P., the oldest civil case pending in Guntur was registered on March 22, 1980. The oldest criminal case is at Kalyandurg court, Anantapur district, which was registered on September 19, 1978. From 1980 to 1990 in Guntur, there are four civil cases and one criminal case pending. So, the district court can move ahead by 10 years, just by the disposal of these five cases. Similarly, in Anantapur, there are only 10 cases from 1978 to 1988 including nine criminal and one civil. The Anantapur court can move ahead by 10 years just by disposal of these 10 cases.” 

“In the High Court, the oldest case is from 1976, and it needs to dispose of just 138 cases to move 10 years ahead of the curve.”

He continued, “The data in Andhra Pradesh is not mind-boggling, as it is in many other States. But if you use simple tools which are now available on the NJDG, we will be able to do justice and revolutionise the image of the judiciary in India.” 

Digitisation shows benefits