New Delhi, June 14: The mounting pendency of cases has prompted the Delhi High Court to direct all judges in the lower courts to fix a time-frame of three years for deciding trial of each case.
“Each officer must fix time-frame for each stage of trial (like completion of pleadings, framing of charges, recording of evidence) and must ensure adherence by all concerned.
“Endeavour shall be made to gradually reduce the average trial period of each case (civil and criminal) to 2/3 years,” the Delhi High Court has said, issuing a slew of directions to enhance the disposal rate.
The directive assumes importance as the official figure puts the arrear of cases at 22,829 which includes 1,766 murder cases in sessions courts in the capital as on February one, this year. A total of 43,024 civil cases are also pending.
Among the measures, the judicial officers have been asked to keep in mind that they have to decide on at least two murder cases each month.
With an aim to making the judges utilise the court’s time in a proper manner, the High Court has said, “Each officer must exercise effective control over case list to ensure optimum utilisation of judicial time and resources.”
Keeping in view the tendency among the parties to delay trial, the court asked them to ensure that no adjournments were given particularly on the ground that some petition was filed in the High Court.
“Adjournments shall not be given liberally unless there are compelling reasons which must be recorded in the proceedings. No proceedings shall be given solely for the reason that there is some petition filed in the High Court concerning the matter,” it said.
The High Court also asked the Higher Judicial Services Officers to take stock of year-wise pendency of cases in their courts at the beginning of each calender year and fix a realistic target for the year for themselves which they should review every three months.
It directed them to put a special focus on “expeditious” disposal of cases meriting priority like criminal cases involving murder, sexual and economic offences, cases under the Narcotics Drug and Psychotropic Substance Act and civil cases related to guardianship.
–Agencies