Lok Sabha Question No. 392 (STARRED), answered on 2016-12-14
Subject: Funds to Courts
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: VINOD KUMAR SONKAR, BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO.392 (12 th position)

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 14.12.2016

## Funds to Courts

## *392. SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR: SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  number  of  judges  appointed  to  bridge  the  gap  between  sanctioned  and  actual  strength  of judges in the Supreme Court, High Courts and subordinate courts during the last three years and the current year, court-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has provided adequate funds for improving infrastructural facilities in courts during the above period and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  for  setting  up  of  new  benches  of  High  Courts  to address the issue of pendency of cases; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof, State/UTwise and if not, the manner in which such pendency is likely to be cleared?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice and Electronics and Information Technology.

## (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a) to (d) : A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## Statement referred in reply to parts (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No.392 to be answered on 14.12.2016 regarding 'Funds to Courts'

(a) to  (d) : A Statement showing fresh appointment of Judges in the Supreme Court and the High Courts during last three years is at Annexure.

The  filling  up  of  vacancies of Judges in the District and Subordinate Courts falls with the domain of the High Courts and the State Governments concerned. Central Government has no role in  appointment  of  Subordinate  Judiciary.  However,  the  sanctioned  strength  of  Judges/  Judicial Officers of District and Subordinate Courts has increased from 17,715 at the end of 2012 to 21,320 in June 2016. There were 4,937 vacancies of Judges/ Judicial Officers in District and Subordinate Courts as on 30.06.2016.

Development of Infrastructural Facilities for Judiciary in the States is the prime responsibility of the State Governments concerned.  However, to augment the resources of the State Governments, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for development of infrastructure facilities for the judiciary was launched by the Central Government in the year 1993-94.  Since inception of the Scheme, the Central Government has provided financial assistance amounting to Rs.5,459 crore to State Governments / Union Territories.  Out of this, an amount of Rs.2,014 crore has been provided since 2014-15.

In  accordance  with  the  recommendations  made  by  the  Jaswant  Singh  Commission  and judgment pronounced by the Apex Court in W.P.(C)  No.379  of  2000,  Bench(es)  of  the  High Court  are  established  after  due consideration of a complete proposal from the State Government, which is to provide infrastructure and meet the expenditure, along with the consent of the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court, which is required to look after the day to day administration of the High Court and its Bench. The proposal should also have the consent of the Governor of the concerned State.

Requests  for  establishment  of  High  Court  Benches  in  different  parts  of  the  country  have been received from various sources including some State Governments. However, at present there is no proposal complete in all aspects pending for consideration by the Central Government.

Annexure Statement  referred  to  in  reply  to  parts  (a)  to  (d)  of  Lok  Sabha  Starred

Question No.392 due for answer on 14.12.2016

| Sl. No.   | Name of the Court         | Fresh appointment s made during 1.1.2014 to 31.12.2014   | Fresh appointments made during 1.1.2015 to 31.12.2015   | Fresh appointment s made during 1.1.2016 to 1.12.2016   |
|-----------|---------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
| A.        | Supreme Court of India    | 09                                                       | 01                                                      | 04                                                      |
| B.        | High Court                |                                                          |                                                         |                                                         |
| 1         | Allahabad                 | 13                                                       | 07                                                      | 20                                                      |
| 2         | Telangana &Andhra Pradesh | --                                                       | --                                                      | 01                                                      |
| 3         | Bombay                    | 14                                                       | --                                                      | 06                                                      |
| 4         | Calcutta                  | 01                                                       | 08                                                      | 01                                                      |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh              | 02                                                       | --                                                      | 03                                                      |
| 6         | Delhi                     | 04                                                       | --                                                      | 05                                                      |
| 7         | Gauhati                   | --                                                       | 05                                                      | 05                                                      |
| 8         | Gujarat                   | 01                                                       | --                                                      | 05                                                      |
| 9         | Himachal Pradesh          | 03                                                       | --                                                      | 04                                                      |
| 10        | Jammu &Kashmir            | --                                                       | --                                                      | --                                                      |
| 11        | Jharkhand                 | 03                                                       | 01                                                      | 04                                                      |
| 12        | Karnataka                 | 05                                                       | --                                                      | 05                                                      |
| 13        | Kerala                    | 06                                                       | 07                                                      | 05                                                      |
| 14        | Madhya Pradesh            | 07                                                       | --                                                      | 18                                                      |
| 15        | Madras                    | --                                                       | --                                                      | 25                                                      |
| 16        | Manipur                   | 01                                                       | --                                                      | 01                                                      |
| 17        | Meghalaya                 | --                                                       | --                                                      | --                                                      |
| 18        | Orissa                    | 03                                                       | 03                                                      | --                                                      |
| 19        | Patna                     | 04                                                       | 02                                                      | 01                                                      |
| 20        | Punjab& Haryana           | 14                                                       | 01                                                      | --                                                      |
| 21        | Rajasthan                 | 01                                                       | --                                                      | 11                                                      |
| 22        | Sikkim                    | --                                                       | 01                                                      | --                                                      |
| 23        | Tripura                   | --                                                       | --                                                      | --                                                      |
| 24        | Uttarakhand               | --                                                       | --                                                      | --                                                      |
| Total     | Total                     | 82                                                       | 35                                                      | 120                                                     |