ACTION PLAN FOR FILLING
UP VACANCIES OF JUDGES
The Centre has drawn
up an Action Plan for filling up all the 2216 vacant posts of
judges and magistrates in district and subordinate courts for
the current financial year 2002-2003 as per the directions of
the Supreme Court in judges case in March 2002. The Action Plan
has been worked out in consultation with all the 21 High Courts
and the State Governments.
With filling up all
the 2216 vacancies of judges in the subordinate courts and all
the 1734 Fast Track Courts becoming fully functional during 2002-2003,
a total of 3950 additional courts will be added to the present
number of 11242 courts to make 35 per cent more additional courts
in the country.
As for filling up
the vacancies in all the 21 High Courts in the country, the Chief
Justices of the High Courts have been advised to speed up their
recommendations for filling up 140 vacant posts of judges. The
approved strength of judges of High Courts is 647. The Prime Minister
has already directed to fill up vacancies in the High Courts expeditiously.
Of late, there has been an upward trend in filling up vacancies
in the High Courts.
The Law Ministry
has received proposals for filling up of 65 vacancies in the High
Courts, which are under consideration of the Government. The Government
has been urging the Chief Justices of the High Courts to make
recommendations for timely filling up of vacancies.
During the last three
years, the total approved strength of the High Court judges has
increased from 618 as in October 1999 to 647 in September 2002,
against which 506 judges are already in position.
Similarly, the number
of High Courts in the country has gone up from 18 High Courts
to 21 following bifurcation of the States of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar
and Uttar Pradesh. As a result, High Courts in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand
and Uttaranchal have been set up with effect from November 2000.
