Par panel to examine inordinate delay in judges' appointments

New Delhi, Oct 12: Amid a raging debate on shortage of judges, a parliamentary panel has decided to seek the views of the Law Ministry on "inordinate delay" in filling up vacancies in the Supreme Court and the 24 high courts of the country.

"The Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice has decided to examine the inordinate delay in filling up vacancies in the Supreme Court and High Courts," according to a parliamentary bulletin. The Law Ministry officials will present their position on the issue infront of the panel of MPs, it said.

The move comes after Chief Justice of India T S Thakur had lamented "inaction" by the executive to increase the number of judges from the present 21,000 to 40,000 to handle the "avalanche" of litigations.

Addressing the inaugural session of Joint Conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts here on April 24, the CJI had said that since 1987, when the Law Commission had recommended increase in the number of judges from 10 judges per 10 lakh people to 50 judges, nothing has moved. There are 4,432 vacancies of judges in subordinate courts in the country as on December 31, 2015, while the 24 high courts face a shortage of nearly 450 judges.

Nearly 3 crore cases are pending in the courts across India. The parliamentary panel has also decided to examine the functioning of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the bulletin said. The premier investigation agency is usually caught in the political slug fest.

It is also looking into various cases related to politicians from different parties. The panel will also have a look on appraisal and empanelment of civil servants under the Central government, it added.

PTI