DRIVE TO FILL UP VACANT POSTS IN SUBORDINATE COURTS

1734 FAST TRACK COURTS NOTIFIED IN VARIOUS STATES

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The Ministry of Law & Justice has written to Chief Justices of High Courts and State Governments to fill up the existing 2041 vacant posts of Judges/Magistrates at District and Subordinate Courts. The Ministry has reminded the respective High Courts and State Governments on several occasions to fill up the vacant posts as it is their responsibility. The Supreme Court in its judgement dated March 21, 2003 had directed the same. This ongoing drive to fill up the vacancies is to ensure compliance of the Apex Court’s direction.

The Ministry of Law and Justice has notified 1334 fast track Courts in various states. Of these 1025 Courts have started functioning. These Courts have disposed off 81589 cases out of 214220 cases amounting to 40 per cent of the pending cases in a span of one and a half months. The Ministry has so far released to the States around Rs. 359 crore. Steps are being taken to set up 20 more similar fast track Courts in the Union Territory of Delhi and one in Chandigarh.

It is proposed to set up 32 Family Courts during the current financial year 2003-04 and 50 per cent of expenditure for the construction purpose and running expenses amounting to Rs. 4.10 crore has already been released.

An amount of Rs. One crore each have been released for upgradation of the computer network of the High Courts of Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta and Madras to the level of the Supreme Court.