Multi-pronged strategy to clear pending court cases: Govt

With over 3 crore cases pending in various courts across the country, government today said it will adopt a multi-pronged strategy, including reforming the criminal justice system, to address the problem of high pendency of cases in judiciary.

"Keeping in mind that justice delayed is justice denied, my government will adopt a multi-pronged approach to address the problem of high pendency of cases in our judicial system," President Pranab Mukherjee said in his address to a joint sitting of Parliament.

He said the Narendra Modi government will progressively modernise the courts to improve their operational efficiency, and start reform of the criminal justice system to make dispensation of justice simpler, quicker and more effective.

Outlining the roadmap of the new government in dealing with high pendency of cases, he said it will initiate a mission mode project for filling vacancies in the judiciary and for doubling the number of courts and judges in the subordinate judiciary in a phased manner.

He said special emphasis will be laid on development of Alternate Dispute Resolution mechanisms to reduce pressure on the overburdened justice delivery system.

According to statistics, a total of over three crore cases are pending in subordinate courts as well as 24 High Courts and the Supreme Court.

So far, the government has computerised all the High Courts and about 11,000 lower courts.