Lok Sabha Question No. 1564 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-19
Subject: Cases Pending in Andhra Pradesh
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVNTHI)

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1564

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 19 th  DECEMBER, 2018.

## Cases Pending in Andhra Pradesh

## 1564. SHRI MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVANTHI):

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

- (a) the number of cases pending in the Andhra Pradesh (AP) High Court and various district courts and Tribunals, as on date;
- (b) whether the Government has taken any steps to reduce the backlog of cases in
- the State by filling up vacant posts and by setting up fast track courts; and (c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW AND JUSTICE AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS (SHRI P. P. CHAUDHARY)

(a) : The National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) provides details regarding cases pending in High Courts, District and Subordinate Courts  As per the information available on National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), 3.60 lakh cases were pending in the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad, and 5.21 lakh cases were pending in the District and Subordinate Courts in the State of Andhra Pradesh as on 13.12.2018.  The number of cases pending in Tribunals is  not available on the centralised web-portal viz . National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG).

(b) & (c): The Government is committed to the mandate of the Preamble and Article 39A of the Constitution that the legal system promotes justice on the basis of equal opportunity. The Government is, therefore, fully committed to speedy disposal of cases and reduction in pendency of cases to improve access to justice.

In August, 2018, the Minister of Law & Justice had written to all the  Chief Justices of  High  Courts  including  Chief  Justice  of  High  Court  of  Judicature  at  Hyderabad  that increasing  pendency  of  cases  is  a  source  of  concern  both  for  the  Government  and Judiciary; that one of the underlying reasons behind the high pendency is sometimes the inordinate  delay  in  filling  up  the  vacancies  of  judicial  officers.    It  was,  accordingly, requested that the High Court may monitor the status of the vacancies regularly and to ensure  proper  coordination  with  the  state  Public  Service  Commission  so  that  the examination and  interviews are conducted  in accordance  with the time schedule prescribed by the Supreme Court in the Malik Mazhar Sultan case.

The  14 th Finance  Commission  endorsed  the  proposal  of  the  Government  to strengthen the judicial system in States which included, inter-alia , establishing Fast Track Courts for cases of heinous crimes; cases involving senior citizens, women, children etc ., and urged the State Governments to use the additional fiscal space provided in the form of enhanced tax devolution from 32% to 42% to meet such requirements.  At present, 708 such Fast Track Courts (including 59 Fast Track Courts in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana) are functioning  across  the  country.  To  fast  track  criminal  cases  involving  elected  MPs  / MLAs,  twelve  (12)  Special  Courts  have  been  set  up  in  eleven  (11)  States  (Andhra Pradesh,  Telangana,  Kerala,  Karnataka,  Tamil  Nadu,  Maharashtra,  Madhya  Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and NCT of Delhi) and proportionate funds have been released to these States by the Government. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 (to  amend  the  Indian  Penal  Code,  Indian  Evidence  Act,  1872,  the  Code  of  Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offices Act, 2012)  has also been enacted on 11 th August, 2018.

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