(a) whether acute shortage of lower courts and judges in the country at present due to
which delivery of justice is delayed to public and they have to face several
difficulties; and
(b) if so, the plan chalked out by the Union Government to deal with this problem so
that courts may be set up in adequate number and benefits of speedy justice may be
delivered to public?
MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (DR. ASHWANI KUMAR)
(a) & (b): Backlog and pendency of cases in courts is a major problem affecting dispensation
of timely justice. The pendency in courts is not declining because filing of cases is either
equal or more than the disposal. Since shortage of judges is one of the reasons affecting
disposal, Government has decided in May, 2012 that number of judges in the subordinate judiciary
needs to be doubled in five years. This decision has been endorsed by the judiciary and Hon’ble
the Chief Justice of India has written to the Chief Justices of High Courts in February, 2013 to
take it up with the State Governments so that the annual outlay by States on subordinate judiciary
is increased. Lately, the Conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts held on
07th April, 2013, has also resolved that in order to improve the judge-population ratio, State
Governments in consultation with the Chief Justices of respective High Courts will take requisite
steps for creation of new post of judicial officers at all levels with support staff and requisite
infrastructure. The Central Government on its part has committed to continue financial support to
States for infrastructure and computerization of subordinate courts.