*Pranab calls for speedy disposal of large number of pending cases

PATNA : President Pranab Mukherjee today called for the disposal of a large number of pending cases right from the Supreme Court to lower courts across the country and stressed on the need for increasing the strength of judges and providing required infrastructural facilities to achieve the goal.

Mr Mukherjee, while addressing a function organised here to mark the centenary celebration of Patna High Court, said a large number of pending cases in various courts across the country was a major cause fncern.Serious efforts should be made to clear the backlog of cases from apex courts to lower courts, he noted.

“There are a large number of vacancies of judges in high courts of several states and also in lower courts,which was the main reason behind the large number of pending cases,” Mr Mukherjee said adding that the appointment process to fill up these vacancies should be accelarated but quality of appointment could never be compromised.

The President cautioned that both speedy and quality judgement were essential for our democratic set up to succeed. “In our constitution, responsibility of judiciary and executive have been clearly defined but a number of landmark judgements have shown the way to the executive in discharging the duties,” he maintained. (AGENCIES)