AMN –
Chief Justice of India H L Dattu has said that a deadline has been set to ensure that the trial of a case does not go beyond five years. Talking to journalists after a conference of Chief Justices of 24 High Courts and Chief Ministers in New Delhi yesterday, Justice Dattu said that they have decided that five years will be the maximum for the old case.
He was asked whether steps have been taken to tackle the pendency of cases as several of them have been lingering for as long as 20 years. Nearly three crore cases are pending in Indian courts. Justice Dattu clarified t
hat five year deadline means that trial should end within that time.
However he said, an appeal in a higher court may take some more time. Referring to the Supreme Court, he said that apex court judges are doing the best to see that the maximum life for a case in the court is not more than two years. He said, they are making all efforts in this regard. The Chief Justice said that vacancies in judiciary was a big hurdle to deal with the issue of pendency.
Justice Dattu said the state Chief Justices have authorised him to take a call on having a uniform judicial service commission to appoint district judges and members to the higher judiciary. He will now set up a committee of Supreme Court Judges to recommend him best method and procedure to appoint judges to higher judiciary and district courts.