FILLING OF VACANCIES OF JUDGES
The Centre has been
urging the State Governments periodically to establish the earmarked
number of Fast Track Courts at the earliest.
The Supreme Court
of India in its judgement of May 6, 2002 in Brij Mohan Lal Vs.
Union of India and Others has directed, "The High Court and
the State Government shall ensure that there exists no vacancy
so far as the Fast Track Courts are concerned, and necessary steps
in that regard shall be taken within three months from today.
In other words, steps should be taken to set up all the Fast Track
Courts within the stipulated time."
Accordingly, the Union
Law Minister addressed a letter on May 27, 2002 to the Chief Ministers
of States requesting them to set up the full number of Fast Track
Courts in their respective jurisdiction, within the time limit
specified by the Supreme Court, which extends up to August 5,
2002.
So far, more than
1100 Fast Track Courts have been notified and made functional.
The total number of Fast Track Courts to be set up is 1734.
Similarly, Chief Ministers
of all States and Chief Justices of all High Courts have been
urged by a letter addressed to them on April 16, 2002 to take
early steps for filling up the vacancies in district and subordinate
courts on priority by March 31, 2003 as per the directives of
the Supreme Court contained in All India Judges Association Vs
Union of India and Others.
The vacancies
in district and subordinate courts as on March 31, 2002 were 1784
out of a total of 12800 such courts all over the country.
