Lok Sabha Question No. 1600 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-28
Subject: Shortage of Judges
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Behanan Benny

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LAW & JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1600 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 28 TH  JULY, 2021

## SHORTAGE OF JUDGES

## 1600. SHRI BENNY BEHANAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government has made any assessment regarding the shortage of judges and vacant posts in the courts of the country and if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
- (b)  whether  the  process  of  recruitment  has  started  against  the  said  vacancies during the last three years and if so, the details thereof, State-wise; and
- (c) whether any assessment is made regarding the number of such vacant posts in Kerala and if so, the details thereof?

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

(a) & (b): As per the Memorandum of Procedure, for the appointment of Judges of High Courts, the Chief Justice of the High Court is required to initiate the proposals in  consultation  with  two  senior-most  Judges  from  amongst  the  eligible  candidates from the Bar and concerned State Judicial Service six months prior to the occurrence of vacancies.

Filling  up  of  vacancies  in  the  High  Courts  is  a  continuous,  integrated  and collaborative process between the Executive and the Judiciary. It requires consultation and approval from various Constitutional Authorities both at the State and  Centre  level.  Every  effort  is  made  to  expedite  the  process  of  appointment  of

Judges following the due procedure. A statement showing the vacancy position and appointments  made  during  last  03  calendar  years  in  respect  of  Supreme  Court  of India and High Courts is at Annexure-I.

Under Article 235 of the Constitution of India, the administrative control over the  members  of  district  and  subordinate  judiciary  in  the  States  vest  with  the concerned  High  Court.  Further,  in  exercise  of  powers  conferred  under  proviso  to Article 309 read with Articles 233 and 234 of the constitution, the respective State Government, in consultation with the High Court, frames the Rules and Regulations regarding  the  issue  of  appointment,  promotion,  reservations  and  retirement  of Judicial  Officers  in  the  State  Judicial  Service.    Hence,  in  so  far  as  recruitment  of judicial  officers  in  the  States  is  concerned,  respective  High  Courts  do  it  in  certain States, whereas the High Courts do it in consultation with the State Public Service Commissions in other States.

The  Union  Government  does  not  have  a  role  under  the  Constitution  in  the selection and appointment of judicial officers in District/ subordinate judiciary. The Supreme Court, in its orders of 04 th January, 2007 in Malik Mazhar case, has devised a process and time frame to be followed for the filling up of vacancies in subordinate judiciary which  stipulates that the process for recruitment of judges in the subordinate courts would commence on 31st March of a calendar year and end by 31st October of the same year. The Supreme Court has permitted State Governments / High Courts for variations in the time schedule in case of any difficulty based on the peculiar geographical and climatic conditions in the State or other relevant conditions.

Further,  in  compliance  of  the  above  directions  of  the  Supreme  Court, Department of Justice forwarded a copy of the Malik Mazhar judgement to Registrars General  of  all  High  Courts  for  necessary  action.  Department  of  Justice  is  writing from time to time to Registrars General of all High Courts to expedite the  filling up of vacancies in subordinate judiciary mandated by Malik Mazhar case. A statement showing the sanctioned strength, working strength and vacancy position of Judicial Officers, State-wise, is at Annexure-II . (c):  The  approved  Judge  strength  of  the  Kerala  High  Court  as  on  date  is  47. Presently, 37 Judges (including 4 Judges from other High Courts) are functioning in the Kerala High Court. Thus a total of 10 vacancies is existing in Kerala High Court. As per the information made available by High Courts on MIS portal of Department of Justice, as against the sanctioned strength of 541 Judicial Officers in Kerala, there

are 464 Judicial Officers in position and 77 vacancies as on date.

******

## Annexure-I

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO    PARTS  (A)  &  (B)  OF  LOK SABHA  UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  1600  FOR  ANSWER  ON  28.07.2021 REGARDING  SHORTAGE OF JUDGES

| Sl. No.   | Name of Court          | Vacancies of Judges as on 20.07.2021   | Appointments made during the calendar years   | Appointments made during the calendar years   | Appointments made during the calendar years   |
|-----------|------------------------|----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
|           |                        |                                        | 2018                                          | 2019                                          | 2020                                          |
| A.        | Supreme Court of India | 08                                     | 08                                            | 10                                            | -                                             |
| B.        | High Court             |                                        |                                               |                                               |                                               |
| 1         | Allahabad              | 66                                     | 28                                            | 10                                            | 04                                            |
| 2         | Andhra Pradesh         | 18                                     | -                                             | 02                                            | 07                                            |
| 3         | Bombay                 | 31                                     | 04                                            | 11                                            | 04                                            |
| 4         | Calcutta               | 41                                     | 11                                            | 06                                            | 01                                            |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh           | 08                                     | 04                                            | -                                             | -                                             |
| 6         | Delhi                  | 30                                     | 05                                            | 04                                            | -                                             |
| 7         | Gauhati                | 04                                     | 02                                            | 04                                            | -                                             |
| 8         | Gujarat                | 24                                     | 04                                            | 03                                            | 07                                            |
| 9         | Himachal Pradesh       | 03                                     | -                                             | 02                                            | -                                             |
| 10        | J &Kand Ladakh         | 06                                     | 02                                            | -                                             | 05                                            |
| 11        | Jharkhand              | 10                                     | 03                                            | 02                                            | -                                             |
| 12        | Karnataka              | 15                                     | 12                                            | 10                                            | 10                                            |
| 13        | Kerala                 | 10                                     | 04                                            | 01                                            | 06                                            |
| 14        | Madhya Pradesh         | 24                                     | 08                                            | 02                                            | -                                             |
| 15        | Madras                 | 17                                     | 08                                            | 01                                            | 10                                            |
| 16        | Manipur                | 0                                      | -                                             | -                                             | 01                                            |
| 17        | Meghalaya              | 0                                      | 01                                            | 01                                            | -                                             |
| 18        | Orissa                 | 14                                     | 01                                            | 01                                            | 02                                            |
| 19        | Patna                  | 34                                     | -                                             | 04                                            | -                                             |
| 20        | Punjab& Haryana        | 39                                     | 07                                            | 10                                            | 01                                            |
| 21        | Rajasthan              | 27                                     | -                                             | 03                                            | 06                                            |
| 22        | Sikkim                 | 0                                      | -                                             | -                                             | -                                             |
| 23        | Telangana              | 28                                     | -                                             | 03                                            | 01                                            |
| 24        | Tripura                | 01                                     | 01                                            | -                                             | 01                                            |
| 25        | Uttarakhand            | 04                                     | 03                                            | 01                                            | -                                             |
| Total     | Total                  | 454                                    | 108                                           | 81                                            | 66                                            |

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO REPLY TO PART (A) & (B) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1600 FOR ANSWER ON 17.03.2021 REGARDING SHORTAGE OF JUDGES

|        |                     | 2018                | 2018             | 2018    | 2019                | 2019             | 2019    | 2020                | 2020             | 2020    | 2021 (As on 22.07.2021)   | 2021 (As on 22.07.2021)   | 2021 (As on 22.07.2021)   |
|--------|---------------------|---------------------|------------------|---------|---------------------|------------------|---------|---------------------|------------------|---------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
| Sl. No | States &Uts         | Sanctioned Strength | Working Strength | Vacancy | Sanctioned Strength | Working Strength | Vacancy | Sanctioned Strength | Working Strength | Vacancy | Sanctioned Strength       | Working Strength          | Vacancy                   |
| 1      | Andaman and Nicobar | 11                  | 11               | 0       | 0                   | 13               | -13     | 0                   | 13               | -13     | 0                         | 13                        | -13                       |
| 2      | Andhra Pradesh      | 494                 | 445              | 49      | 597                 | 529              | 68      | 607                 | 510              | 97      | 607                       | 494                       | 113                       |
| 3      | Arunachal Pradesh   | 30                  | 25               | 5       | 41                  | 27               | 14      | 41                  | 32               | 9       | 41                        | 32                        | 9                         |
| 4      | Assam               | 430                 | 383              | 47      | 441                 | 412              | 29      | 466                 | 412              | 54      | 467                       | 410                       | 57                        |
| 5      | Bihar               | 1845                | 1205             | 640     | 1925                | 1149             | 776     | 1936                | 1433             | 503     | 1936                      | 1403                      | 533                       |
| 6      | Chandigarh          | 30                  | 30               | 0       | 30                  | 29               | 1       | 30                  | 26               | 4       | 30                        | 27                        | 3                         |
| 7      | Chhattisgarh        | 452                 | 397              | 55      | 468                 | 394              | 74      | 481                 | 387              | 94      | 482                       | 419                       | 63                        |
| 8      | D &NHaveli          | 3                   | 3                | 0       | 3                   | 3                | 0       | 3                   | 2                | 1       | 3                         | 2                         | 1                         |
| 9      | Daman &Diu          | 4                   | 4                | 0       | 4                   | 3                | 1       | 4                   | 4                | 0       | 4                         | 4                         | 0                         |
| 10     | Delhi               | 799                 | 541              | 258     | 799                 | 681              | 118     | 799                 | 649              | 150     | 862                       | 679                       | 183                       |
| 11     | Goa                 | 50                  | 42               | 8       | 50                  | 43               | 7       | 50                  | 40               | 10      | 50                        | 40                        | 10                        |
| 12     | Gujarat             | 1506                | 1150             | 356     | 1521                | 1185             | 336     | 1521                | 1152             | 369     | 1523                      | 1138                      | 385                       |
| 13     | Haryana             | 651                 | 489              | 162     | 772                 | 475              | 297     | 772                 | 493              | 279     | 772                       | 488                       | 284                       |
| 14     | Himachal Pradesh    | 159                 | 149              | 10      | 175                 | 153              | 22      | 175                 | 161              | 14      | 175                       | 161                       | 14                        |
| 15     | Jammu and Kashmir   | 310                 | 224              | 86      | 290                 | 232              | 58      | 296                 | 255              | 41      | 296                       | 251                       | 45                        |
| 16     | Jharkhand           | 676                 | 460              | 216     | 677                 | 461              | 216     | 675                 | 544              | 131     | 675                       | 530                       | 145                       |
| 17     | Karnataka           | 2614                | 2181             | 433     | 1345                | 1106             | 239     | 1357                | 1071             | 286     | 1328                      | 1062                      | 266                       |
| 18     | Kerala              | 496                 | 433              | 63      | 536                 | 457              | 79      | 538                 | 470              | 68      | 541                       | 464                       | 77                        |
| 19     | Ladakh              | 0                   | 0                | 0       | 0                   | 0                | 0       | 16                  | 8                | 8       | 16                        | 9                         | 7                         |
| 20     | Lakshadweep         | 3                   | 3                | 0       | 3                   | 3                | 0       | 3                   | 3                | 0       | 3                         | 2                         | 1                         |
| 21     | Madhya Pradesh      | 1872                | 1361             | 511     | 2021                | 1620             | 401     | 2021                | 1610             | 411     | 2021                      | 1586                      | 435                       |
| 22     | Maharashtra         | 2011                | 1844             | 167     | 2189                | 1942             | 247     | 2190                | 1940             | 250     | 2190                      | 1940                      | 250                       |
| 23     | Manipur             | 55                  | 40               | 15      | 55                  | 39               | 16      | 54                  | 36               | 18      | 59                        | 43                        | 16                        |
| 24     | Meghalaya           | 97                  | 39               | 58      | 97                  | 49               | 48      | 97                  | 49               | 48      | 97                        | 49                        | 48                        |
| 25     | Mizoram             | 67                  | 46               | 21      | 64                  | 46               | 18      | 64                  | 43               | 21      | 64                        | 43                        | 21                        |
| 26     | Nagaland            | 33                  | 26               | 7       | 33                  | 25               | 8       | 33                  | 26               | 7       | 33                        | 26                        | 7                         |

| 27   | Odisha        |   911 |   755 |   156 |   919 |   770 |   149 |   950 |   756 |   194 |   957 |   749 |   208 |
|------|---------------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|
| 28   | Puducherry    |    26 |    19 |     7 |    26 |    11 |    15 |    26 |    11 |    15 |    26 |    11 |    15 |
| 29   | Punjab        |   674 |   530 |   144 |   675 |   579 |    96 |   692 |   593 |    99 |   692 |   589 |   103 |
| 30   | Rajasthan     |  1337 |  1108 |   229 |  1428 |  1121 |   307 |  1489 |  1292 |   197 |  1540 |  1283 |   257 |
| 31   | Sikkim        |    23 |    19 |     4 |    25 |    19 |     6 |    25 |    20 |     5 |    25 |    20 |     5 |
| 32   | Tamil Nadu    |  1143 |   905 |   238 |  1255 |  1080 |   175 |  1298 |  1049 |   249 |  1312 |  1041 |   271 |
| 33   | Telangana     |   493 |   445 |    48 |   413 |   334 |    79 |   474 |   378 |    96 |   474 |   378 |    96 |
| 34   | Tripura       |   115 |    75 |    40 |   120 |    96 |    24 |   120 |    97 |    23 |   121 |    97 |    24 |
| 35   | Uttar Pradesh |  3225 |  2037 |  1188 |  3416 |  2578 |   838 |  3634 |  2581 |  1053 |  3634 |  2581 |  1053 |
| 36   | Uttarakhand   |   293 |   234 |    59 |   294 |   228 |    66 |   297 |   255 |    42 |   298 |   254 |    44 |
| 37   | West Bengal   |  1013 |   938 |    75 |  1014 |   918 |    96 |  1014 |   918 |    96 |  1014 |   918 |    96 |
|      | TOTAL         | 23951 | 18596 |  5355 | 23721 | 18810 |  4911 | 24247 | 19319 |  4928 | 24368 | 19236 |  5132 |