Go for zero pendency: SC judge to officers
Next CJI asks new judicial officers to fast track justice to women, kids
CHANDIGARH: Supreme Court judge P Sathasivam, who will take over as next chief justice of India after the retirement of CJI Altamas Kabir on July 19, has asked the judicial officers to give priority to the cases pending for the past five or more years to bring down pendency to zero level.
He was speaking at the valedictory function of the yearlong induction training of 168 judicial officers of Punjab and Haryana on Saturday at Chandigarh Judicial Academy. Justice Sathasivam also asked the new judicial officers, who
You must have some managerial skills to cope up with the problem of potential escalation in the number of cases PSATHASIVAM Supreme Court judge to new judicial officers
would start holding court at respective duty stations from July 1, to ensure speedy trial of cases of crimes against women and children.
Justice Sathasivam said 15 cases were being filed in courts for every 1,000 population in the country but with the increase in literacy and per capita income, litigation was bound to increase. “You must have some managerial skills to cope up with the problem of potential escalation in the number of cases,” he told the officers.
He also stressed the upgrading of proper court management system that included information technology, proper behaviour of judges, punctuality and the following of law, regulations and policies.
Stressing the need for effective implementation of various Acts concerning women and children, justice Sathasivam said judicial officers should ensure that provisions of these legislations were adhered to in letter and spirit. He added that Parliament had also passed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act to make stalking punishable and an imprisonment of 20 years had been recommended in cases of gang rape.
Also present at the function, chief justice of the Punjab and Haryana high court, Sanjay Kishan Kaul, who is also patronin- chief of Chandigarh Judicial Academy, asked the new judicial officer to uphold judicial ethics to ensure clear judgment free from any ambiguity. Judges of the high court, other judicial officers, lawyers and dignitaries attended the function.