SC seeks report on vacancies in lower judiciary

New Delhi, Oct 24 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Thursday directed all 24 High Courts, states and Union Territories to submit fresh status report identifying progress on filling judicial vacancies in district courts and infrastructure for judicial officers since August 1.

In October last year, a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had taken note of more than 5,000 vacancies at district court level in addition with inadequate infrastructure for judges, litigants and advocates in these court complexes.

The court had asked senior advocates Shyam Divan, K. V. Vishwanathan, Vijay Hansaria and lawyer Gaurav Agrawal, appointed amicus curiae, to assist it in monitoring the developments on the issues connected with vacancies and the infrastructure. The apex court had passed slew of directions to the stakeholders concerned and also fixed deadlines on these issues. On August 1, the court had passed to apprise it on the development in mitigating these issues.

The Chief Justice asked the amicus curiae to seek assistance from state governments and also the registrar general of all High Courts in gathering data and other connected information to prepare a fresh status report. The hearing will continue on November 6.

The law secretaries of states and seven UTs and the registrar generals of high courts had appeared in person in the court. The top court had conducted three-day hearing and then passed directions.

The court had voiced its concerns and termed the vacancies in lower judiciary as wholly unacceptable. The apex court had noted on October 22, 2018, 5,133 posts were vacant.