(a) whether the Government proposes to increase the existing number of courts for providing affordable and speedy justice to the people in the country;
(b) if so, the State-wise and location-wise details thereof;and
(c) if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)
(a): The appointment of Judges and Judicial Officers in the District and Subordinate Courts falls within the domain of the High Courts and State Governments concerned in which the Central Government has no role. As per information made available by the High Courts and respective State Governments, sanctioned strength of Judges of District / Subordinate Courts has increased from 20,214 in the year 2014 to 24,018 as on 29.02.2020. The working strength of Judges of District and Subordinate Courts is increased from 15,634 in the year 2014 to 19,160 as on 29.02.2020. The State / UT-wise details of sanctioned / working strength of Judges of District / Subordinate Courts are given in a Statement at Annexure.
(b) and (c): Does not arise.
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Annexure
Sanctioned Strength / Working Strength and vacancies in Subordinate Courts as on 29.02.2020
Sl. No. States & Uts Total Sanctioned Strength Total Working Strength Total Vacancy
1 Andaman and Nicobar 0 13 -13
2 Andhra Pradesh 599 526 73
3 Arunachal Pradesh 41 27 14
4 Assam 441 409 32
5 Bihar 1925 1437 488
6 Chandigarh 30 29 1
7 Chhattisgarh 480 393 87
8 D & N Haveli 3 3 0
9 Daman & Diu 4 3 1
10 Delhi 799 678 121
11 Goa 50 40 10
12 Gujarat 1521 1183 338
13 Haryana 772 475 297
14 Himachal Pradesh 175 163 12
15 Jammu and Kashmir 290 232 58
16 Jharkhand 677 458 219
17 Karnataka 1346 1098 248
18 Kerala 536 456 80
19 Lakshadweep 3 3 0
20 Madhya Pradesh 2021 1651 370
21 Maharashtra 2189 1940 249
22 Manipur 55 41 14
23 Meghalaya 97 49 48
24 Mizoram 64 45 19
25 Nagaland 33 26 7
26 Odisha 920 771 149
27 Puducherry 26 11 15
28 Punjab 675 577 98
29 Rajasthan 1428 1119 309
30 Sikkim 25 19 6
31 Tamil Nadu 1257 1080 177
32 Telangana 474 383 91
33 Tripura 120 95 25
34 Uttar Pradesh 3634 2581 1053
35 Uttarakhand 294 228 66
36 West Bengal 1014 918 96
TOTAL TOTAL 24018 19160 4858