Launching of A Fresh 'Pendency Reduction Drive' from 1st July, 2012 To 31st December, 2012

Shri Salman Khurshid to Formally Launch this Drive from Karnataka High Court, Bengaluru, Tomorrow

Encouraged by the success of the last year’s Pendency Reduction Drive, undertaken for reduction in pendency in the courts from 1st July 2011 to 31st December 2011, the Minister of Law & Justice, Shri Salman Khurshid, has requested the Chief Justices of all the High Courts to undertake another drive this year from 1st July 2012 to 31st December, 2012 . In letters sent to all the Chief Justices, Shri Khurshid has said that during this campaign we can target to make our judicial system ‘Five Plus’ free by the end of this year as far as possible. The Minister has urged the Chief Justices that focus on disposal of cases of the marginalised sections of society and under-trials should continue as before. He has pointed out that substantial funds are available at the disposal of State Governments out of the grants sanctioned under Thirteenth Finance Commission. These can be utilised for creation of special courts and ADR centres for achieving the reduction in pendency. Efforts may also be focused during this period on filling of existing vacancies so that augmented availability of manpower at the courts would ensure higher disposal, Shri Khurshid has said in his letter.

Shri Salman Khurshid will formally launch this year’s drive from Karnataka High Court, Bengaluru, tomorrow. Next day he will be launching the drive from Bombay High Court, Mumbai.

The results of last year’s drive have been impressive. As per the information received from various High Courts, there has been a net reduction of 6 lakh cases in subordinate courts at the end of 2011, reversing the earlier trend of increase in pendency by about 5 lakh cases from the end of the year 2009 to the end of the year 2010. More importantly, there is a significant reduction of over 1.36 lakh pending cases relating to senior citizens, minors, disabled and marginalised sections of the society who are more vulnerable in case of a prolonged litigation.