14 Supreme Court Judges To Address Seminar

New Delhi, Feb 22 (UNI) More than half of Supreme Court judges will address a seminar tomorrow taking up the ''disquieting'' delay in delivery of justice, sponsors announced today.

''When it comes to disposal of cases, the delay is disquieting,'' Confederation of Indian Bar president Pravin Parekh said, citing case arrears now close to 30 million.

''The problem of arrears very much exists,'' Parekh acknowledged in a statement on the eve of the seminar on Judicial Reforms to be opened by President Pratibha Patil, herself a onetime lawyer.

Parekh counted 46,926 cases pending in the apex court, 37,00,223 cases pending in high courts and 2,52,85,982 cases pending in district and subordinate courts.

The legal community has in recent years organised a number of such events to highlight the problems of justice delivery and draw the attention of lawmakers and government, without much avail.

''This is not the first of its kind,'' Parekh said, voicing hope, however, that ''this seminar would broaden our horizons and make us re-think.'' The seminar will be attended by some 1400 delegates, including 14 sitting judges of the apex court, which has a strength of 26.

UNI MJ RR RK2005