A host of unresolved issues, including shortage of manpower, continues to haunt the Kalaburagi Bench of the High Court of Karnataka even nine years after its establishment. Especially, shortage of judges in the High Court is adversely affecting the functioning of the Dharwad and the Kalaburagi Benches resulting in pendency of cases.
As per reliable sources, the High Court is suffering from a 51% shortage of judges. Of the sanctioned strength of 62 judges, only 29 were working as on May 1 this year. The High Court stands fifth in terms of number of vacancies. The number may further reduce to 26 with the imminent retirement of three more judges in a couple of months, the sources added.
The High Court posted five judges each to the Dharwad and Kalaburagi Benches when they were established in 2008. However, only three judges are functioning in Kalaburagi and Dharwad for the last five years.
As a result, the pendency of cases has increased from 7,500 to 24,000 in the Kalaburagi Bench and from 22,000 to 60,000 in the Dharwad Bench in the last nine years.
Speaking to The Hindu , P. Vilas Kumar, senior advocate and working president of Indian Association of Lawyers, (Hyderabad Karnataka Chapter), said that the establishment of the Kalaburagi Bench has not helped address the serious issue of delayed delivery of justice.
“The very purpose of establishing additional Benches of the High Court was to facilitate speedy disposal of cases so that delivery of justice is not delayed. We all expected that the Kalaburagi Bench would address the issue of pendency. However, contrary to our expectations, the pendency of cases continues to grow. Shortage of judges mount pressure on working judges which, in turn, results in frequent adjournments,” he said.
Mr. Vilas Kumar pointed out that the scenario was almost the same in other High Courts across the country as over 450 posts of judges were lying vacant in 24 High Courts in India. Only 629 judges are working against the sanctioned strength of 1,079 posts, he added.
“Many litigants have written to Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka expressing displeasure over their cases being inordinately dragged on and requesting for making fresh appointment of judges so that their cases could be disposed of quickly,” Mr. Vilas Kumar said.
