Pendency can be reduced if govts appoint more judges:CJI

Thanjavur (TN), June 25: Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan said here on Tuesday pendency of cases in courts could be cut down drastically if state governments appointed more judges and magistrates.
Participating in a function to celebrate the bi-centenary of a district court here, he said though the disposal of cases had increased from 20 to 25 per cent, filing of new cases had increased ranging from 30 to 35 per cent.
"We do not have enough courts in India and it should be increased", he said.
He said there was a need to increase the number of CBI courts for speedy dispoal of cases. He had taken up the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who had agreed to look into the matter, he said.
Expressing concern over 'stagnation' of civil cases, particularly land disputes, he said these cases should be amicably settled and state governments should look into the matter and see that the cases were settled out of court.
He said "courts should give security to the common man and protect their human rights".
Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, presiding over the function, thanked the CJI for upholding 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in the institutes of higher learning. "It is a landmark judgement in the history of social justice", he said.
Striking a personal note, Karunanidhi said it was the district court, which upheld his election as MLA from here, when it dismissed an election petition challenging his election way back in 1962. The district court also delivered a landmark judgement, punishing a number of people for burning 30 Dalits alive at Kizhavenmeni in 1968. - Agencies
Published: Wednesday, June 25, 2008
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