*CJ all set to take several steps to check pendency
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 2: Large number of Judicial Officers in Jammu and Kashmir have been handling with breach the repeated directions from the State High Court regarding furnishing of work done statements after regular intervals. Now, taking serious note of this, the Registrar General has dashed a fresh communiqué to all the Principal District and Sessions Judges across the State mentioning that any further deviation will invite strong action from the Chief Justice.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice of the State High Court, Justice N Paul Vasantha Kumar has sought detailed information regarding disposal and pendency of civil and criminal cases in all the courts across the State as he wanted to take some drastic steps to check pendency, which is not only a matter of concern for State High Court but also for the Supreme Court.
Highly placed sources told EXCELSIOR that Vide Circular No.38 dated September 1, 2009, the then Registrar General of the State High Court, M K Hanjura had conveyed to all the District and Additional District Judges that the monthly, quarterly, half-yearly and yearly work done statements required to be sent to the office of Registrar General immediately after expiry of the month, quarter, half year and year don’t reach his office well in time.
These work done statements were required to be submitted to the Registrar General on or before the 7th day of the month, next following the month, quarter, half year and year under report as directed earlier.
“It is impressed upon the Judicial Officers to ensure that these statements are sent to the Registry within the stipulated period. Any deviation will be construed to mean disobedience and lack of control of office and shall be reflected in the Annual Confidential Rolls of the concerned Judicial Officer”, reads the circular dated September 1, 2009, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR.
Though initially there was compliance of this circular by the Principal District and Session Judges but with the passage of time the Judicial Officers started handling the directions with breach as a result of which there was no compliance of the same in letter and spirit.
Now, the Chief Justice of the State High Court, Justice N Paul Vasantha Kumar has viewed this act on the part of Principal District and Sessions Judges very seriously and on his direction the Registrar General, Kaneez Fatima has issued fresh communication to all the Principal District and Sessions Judges with the direction to ensure furnishing of monthly, quarterly, half yearly and yearly work done statements as per the already fixed schedule.
“You are directed to ensure promptness in receipt of work done statements in the High Court. All the Subordinate Courts should deliver their monthly, quarterly, half yearly and yearly work done statements on the prescribed formats in your office within first three days of the succeeding month, quarter, half year and year”, reads the communication No.5879-5901 dated June 30, 2015, the copy of which is also available with EXCELSIOR.
The Registrar General has further directed the Principal District and Sessions Judges to make and ensure delivery of these statements along with statement of their own court in sealed cover to the High Court Registry within first seven days of the month, quarter, half year and year. “Any deviation will be construed to mean disobedience and lack of control of office and matter will be placed before the Chief Justice for appropriate orders”, the Registrar General has made it clear to all the Principal District and Sessions Judges.
According to the sources, through work-done statements, the Chief Justice wants to check the performance of the Judicial Officers of the State. “These statements would be the yardstick to measure the level of performance of the Principal District and Sessions Judges as well as Judicial Officers of the Subordinate Courts in their jurisdiction”, they further said, adding “this step would go a long way in streamlining the functioning of the courts across the State and ensuring accountability”.
Moreover, on the directions of the Chief Justice, the Registrar General has sought detailed information regarding disposal and pendency of civil and criminal cases from all the Principal District and Sessions Judges.
They have been asked to furnish statement showing break-up of disposal of cases with effect from January 1, 2015 to June 30, 2015 and pendency as on June 30, 2015 in Subordinate Courts of J&K strictly as per Circular No.2 dated February 20, 2015.
The Chief Justice has sought information about number of disposal of cases which are 5 to 10 years old; number of pending cases which are over 5 to 10 years old as on June 30, 2015; number of disposal of cases which are over 10 years old and number of pending cases which are over 10 years old as on June 30, 2015.
According to the sources, on the basis of this data, the Chief Justice would take some drastic steps to further reduce pendency of cases in the courts across the State. He is likely to fix targets for the Judicial Officers for disposal of pending cases as pendency is not only an area of concern for Chief Justice of State High Court but also for Supreme Court, which has issued a number of directions to the High Courts across the country on the issue.
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