Lok Sabha Question No. 2274 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-29
Subject: Pending Court Cases in West Bengal
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Khan Saumitra

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2274 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 29 TH  JULY, 2022

## PENDING COURT CASES IN WEST BENGAL

## 2274.  SHRI SAUMITRA KHAN:

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

- (a) the number of pending court cases related to murder, rape and illegal weapon at present, in West Bengal;
- (b) whether a number of cases out of them are lying pending for more than ten years; and
- (c) if so, the response of the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

- (a): As informed by High Court of Calcutta, the number of pending court cases related to murder, rape and illegal weapon at present, in West Bengal is as under:-

| Name of the State   |   The number of Pending court cases related to murder as on 30.06.2022 |   The number of Pending court cases related to rape as on 30.06.2022 |   The number of Pending court cases related to illegal weapon as on 30.06.2022 |
|---------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| West Bengal         |                                                                  10060 |                                                                19936 |                                                                          12259 |

(b): As informed by High Court of Calcutta, the number of cases out of them are lying pending for more than ten years in West Bengal is as under:-

| Name of the State   |   Pending court cases more than 10 (ten) years related to murder Pending court cases more than 10 (ten) years related to rape Pending more than years |     |   court cases 10 (ten) related to illegal weapon |
|---------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----|--------------------------------------------------|
| West Bengal         |                                                                                                                                                  1136 | 905 |                                             2704 |

(c): Disposal of pending cases in courts is within the domain of the judiciary.  No time frame has been prescribed for disposal of various kinds of cases by the respective courts. Government has no direct role in disposal of cases in courts. Timely disposal of cases in courts depends on several factors which, inter-alia, include availability of adequate number of judges and judicial officers, supporting court staff and physical infrastructure, complexity of facts involved, nature of evidence, co-operation of stake holders viz. bar, investigation agencies, witnesses and litigants and proper application of rules and procedures. There are several  factors  which  may  lead  to  delay  in  disposal  of  cases.    These,  inter-alia,  include vacancies of judges, frequent adjournments and lack of adequate arrangement to monitor, track and bunch cases for hearing. The Central Government is fully committed to speedy disposal of cases in accordance with Article 21 of the Constitution and reducing pendency. The Government has taken several initiatives to provide an ecosystem for faster disposal of cases by the judiciary.

National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms was set up in August, 2011 with the twin objectives of increasing access by reducing delays and arrears in the system and  enhancing  accountability  through  structural  changes  and  by  setting  performance standards  and  capacities.    The  Mission  has  been  pursuing  a  co-ordinated  approach  for phased  liquidation  of  arrears  and  pendency  in  judicial  administration,  which, inter-alia, involves better infrastructure for courts including computerization, increase in strength of subordinate  judiciary,  policy  and  legislative  measures  in  the  areas  prone  to  excessive litigation,  re-engineering  of  court  procedure  for  quick  disposal  of  cases  and  emphasis  on human resource development.

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