HC collegium recommends elevation of 15 district judges

Amid a 40% shortage of judges and a backlog of over 4.32 lakh cases, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has recommended the elevation of 15 District and Sessions Judges after a gap of over two years. The HC collegium has proposed the names of eight judges from Punjab and seven from Haryana for elevation.

The move comes as the HC grapples with a staggering pendency of cases. According to the National Judicial Data Grid, nearly 85% of these cases have remained unresolved for over a year, with some dating back to around 40 years. Of the 4,32,227 pending cases, 2,68,279 are civil matters, while 1,63,948 are criminal cases, directly impacting fundamental rights such as life and liberty.

The last elevation of District and Sessions Judges to the high court was made in November 2022. Despite concerted efforts to tackle “legacy” matters, the pendency figures have shown little improvement. In all, 48,386 second appeals, including five from 1986, are still awaiting adjudication, underscoring the gravity of the judicial delay.

The HC currently operates with only 51 judges against a sanctioned strength of 85, with three more set to retire this year. The lengthy and complex process of appointing judges, which involves clearance by state governments, governors, the Supreme Court collegium, and the Union Law Ministry, has contributed to the delay.

The process typically spans several months, adding to the mounting pressure on the judicial system.

Data indicates that 15 per cent of the pending cases fall in the category of less than one year, while 30 per cent have been unresolved for five to 10 years. Alarmingly, 29% of the cases are pending for over a decade.