Over 2 Lakh cases pending in lower courts of J&K, Ladakh
More than two lakh cases are pending and awaiting disposal in lower judiciary of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
“2,98,290 Lakh cases are pending and awaiting disposal in lower judiciary of Jammu & and Kashmir as on 15 December 2022,” reveals the data tabled by the Union Minister of Law and Justice in a written to a question raised in Rajya Sabha.
The data further revealed that out of total cases 2,97156 cases are pending the lower judiciary of Jammu and Kashmir. As per the data, 98260 cases belong to civil offences while 198896 related to criminal offences.
In further breakup data revealed that 1134 cases are pending in the lower judiciary of Union Territory Ladakh. “In Ladakh, 642 case belonged to civil offences and 492 belonged to criminal offences are pending in the lower judiciary,” the data reads.
Moreover, the Union Minister of Law and Justice informed Rajya Sabha in written reply that the disposal of pending cases in courts lies within the domain of the judiciary.
“The government has no direct role in this regard. However, the Central Government is fully committed to speedy disposal of cases in accordance with Article 21 of the Constitution and reducing pendency,” he said.
He added that the government has taken several initiatives to provide an ecosystem for faster disposal of cases by the judiciary.
“The National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms was set up in August, 2011 with the twin objectives of increasing access by reducing delays and arrears in the system and enhancing accountability through structural changes and by setting performance standards and capacities,” he said.
He added that the Mission has been pursuing a coordinated approach for phased liquidation of arrears and pendency in judicial administration, which, inter-alia, involves better infrastructure for courts, including computerization, an increase in strength of subordinate judiciary, policy and legislative measures in the areas prone to excessive litigation, re-engineering of court procedure for quick disposal of cases and emphasis on human resource development.
In a reply to another question, the Union Minister said that 91 posts of Judicial officers are lying vacant in district and subordinate courts while only 3 posts of judges laying vacant in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh high court.
The reply reads that 91 posts judicial officers are vacant in district and subordinate courts of Jammu and Kashmir as on 19 December 2022 while 8 post are vacant in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
