87,222 cases pending in tricity courts

Bhartesh Singh Thakur 
Tribune News Service 
Chandigarh, January 1

As many as 87,222 cases, both civil and criminal, are pending at the district courts of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula. The Chandigarh district courts have the highest pendency, followed by Mohali and Panchkula. 

Four cases are pending for more than 30 years. At all three district courts, institution has been more than disposal in 2018, 2017 and 2016. Except in Mohali, the pendency of criminal cases is more than civil ones. 

“Civil disputes run longer as parties have wide criteria to file applications during the proceedings which delay the cases. Also, in both civil and criminal matters, parties sometimes approach higher courts where the cases remain pending for long. In criminal cases where prominent people are involved, they take more time as accused frequently approach higher courts for relief,” said Abhishek Rana, a lawyer at Panchkula district courts. 

Chandigarh

Chandigarh district courts have 43,807 pending cases as on January 1. Of these, 26,608 (60.7 %) are criminal and 17,199 (39.3%) are civil cases.

In total, there are 33,038 (75.4 %) original cases; 3,250 (7.4 %) appeals; 3,925 (9%) applications and 3,594 (8.2%) execution cases. 

Among the original cases, there are 21,295 (64.5 %) criminal cases related to warrant or summon; 6,343 civil suits (19.2 %) and 1,479 (4.5%) marriage petitions; 1,135 (3.4 %) motor accident claim petitions (MACP), 553 (1.67 %) session cases and 167 juvenile cases. 

Oldest criminal case 

The oldest criminal case, which has been pending at Chandigarh district courts, is under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Abhishek Phutela. It was registered on March 3, 1993, against Baldev Raj. It pending as further orders are awaited from the Supreme Court in the case. Another case, State vs Sanjeev Kumar Saini, which is pending since June 23, 1996, was registered for cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery and criminal conspiracy at Ludhiana and later the trial was transferred to Chandigarh. 

The oldest civil case has been pending since June 3, 1993 —Lakhbir Singh vs general public and others. It is related to will and is pending as orders from the high court.

Panchkula 

In Panchkula, there are a total of 18,592 pending cases. Of these, 11,369 (61.1 %) are criminal cases and 7,223 (38.9 %) are civil ones. 

Among the pending cases, the original cases are 13,970 (75.1 %), appeals are 1,380 (7.4 %), applications are 1,299 (7 %) and execution cases are 1,943 (10.5 %).

Among the original pending cases, there are 9,539 (68.3%) criminal cases related to warrant or summon; 2,441 civil suits (17.5%), 575 (4.1%) marriage petitions, 447 (3.2%) session cases, 322 (2.3 %) motor accident claim petitions and 26 (0.19 %) juvenile cases.

The oldest case is a civil dispute, Barkat Ram vs Baldev Singh, registered on February 24, 1983. The next hearing is on January 2. It was adjouned sine die on January 28, 1989, and now fresh notice has been issued to both parties. In fact, all cases which have been pending for over 30 years are civil ones.  

The oldest criminal case is against Yudhvir Singh Khyalia, retired IAS officer, which has been pending since January 16, 1998, on the complaint of a retired woman pharmacist. The charges were being framed on September 14, 2017, against Khyalia and four others under sections 452 (for committing house trespass), 500 (for defamation), 342 (for wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation) read with Section 120-B (for criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. 

Mohali 

At Mohali, a total of 24,823 cases are pending before district courts. Of these, 13,882 (55.9%) are civil cases, while 10,941 (44.1%) are criminal ones.

There are 14,996 original cases (60.4 %), 2,746 appeals (11.1 %), 3,872 applications (15.6 %) and 3,209 execution cases (12.9 %).

Among the original cases, 6,677 are warrant or summon criminal cases (44.5 %), 5,108 civil suits (34.1 %), 885 marriage petitions (5.9 %), 776 session cases (5.2 %), 633 land references (4.2 %), 422 motor accident claim petitions (2.8 %) and 53 juvenile cases (0.4 %). 

The oldest case is a land dispute between New Anaj Mandi Committee against about 10 persons at Kharar court which has been pending since March 4, 1988. 

Chandigarh

 Year Institution Disposal 

2018 38,709 34,224

2017 33,387 29,978

2016 29,853 27,754

Panchkula

2018 22,569 21,605 

2017 27,837 26,489 

2016 23,704 23,639 

Mohali 

2018 21,202 20,338 

2017 18,723 16,833

2016 15,334 14,008