Delay in judges' appointment clogs lower courts in Bangalore

As if frivolous petitions were not enough to clog the City’s lower courts, the delay in the appointment and promotion of judges has severely crippled the judicial proceedings. 

A whopping 56,000 cases have been pending in lower courts for the last seven months. The problem arose after the State government abolished 16 fast-track courts in June 2013. 

“Judges of the fast-track courts were promoted as district judges and the courts converted into City civil and sessions courts. But no judges have been appointed to them yet,” said A P Ranganath, the general secretary of Advocates’ Association, Bangalore (AAB). 

The present City civil and sessions judges, who have been given concurrent charge of the new courts, find it quite a task to discharge the additional duties. “At least five courts are without a judge as the previous judges were promoted to the High Court. Nearly 50 per cent of the judges are overworked and pending cases have been increasing,” Ranganath added. “Even those arrested for minor offences are unable to obtain bail.” 

Probation not confirmed 

On the other hand, 223 judges appointed as magistrates and civil judges of junior-level courts in 2008-09 are still awaiting confirmation of their probationary period. “As per norms, their service should be confirmed within two years of appointment,” said a senior advocate. The Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court, D H Waghela, has assured the AAB that the City civil court will function smoothly and he would make appropriate appointments soon, an AAB office-bearer said.