CJI to high courts: Get more judges

The Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir has asked all the high court chief justices to persuade their respective state governments to double the existing number of judges in subordinate judiciary.

The Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir has asked all the high court chief justices to persuade their respective state governments to double the existing number of judges in subordinate judiciary.

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At present with the sanctioned strength of 17,945 judges, the lower judiciary is struggling to clear a backlog of about 2.7 crore cases pending across the country. Over 3,650 posts of judges are lying vacant.

"Justice is one of the facets of the basic structure of the Constitution. Denial of and or belated justice, is an anathema to a society. Concerned efforts and concrete steps are needed to be taken in this regard," read CJI's letter to the state chief justices.

The CJI has written as the administrative head of the judiciary.

He further asked the heads of state judiciary to urge the respective governments to increase the annual outlay to improve the infrastructure and augment ministerial staff in subordinate judiciary.

The current annual outlay of most of the states is not even 1% as far as judiciary is concerned.

According to the communiqué the CJI recently wrote to the Prime Minister, requesting him to increase the annual outlay for judiciary.

"The Central Government has been forthcoming by providing funds for infrastructure and computerisation for subordinate judiciary," stated the letter.

However, the CJI added, state too is responsible for the development of subordinate judiciary as administration of justice, constitution and organization of all courts, except SC and High Courts is part of Constitution's concurrent list.