Calcutta High Court's efforts to cut down pendency of cases

The Calcutta High Court is making efforts to reduce pendency of cases and the results are showing with the number of disposal of cases, inviting appreciation from Chief Justice T B N Radhakrishnan.

Calcutta High Court Registrar General Rabindranath Samanta informed on Wednesday that the high court has decided 50,979 cases in 2018 with 37 judges, while 59,907 cases were filed during the period.

The Calcutta High Court, one of the three chartered high courts in the country, has decided 29,300 cases in seven months till July 31 out of a total of 32,602 petitions filed, with an increased strength of 41 judges, Samanta said in a statement.

There are a total 2,28,657 cases pending before the high court as on April 30 this year, according to information given in its website.

The court has a sanctioned judge strength of 72 and at present there are 41 judges.

"Chief Justice Radhakrishnan has lauded the efforts put in by the subordinate judiciary in West Bengal and Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which have excelled in disposal of pending cases," Samanta said.

In the year 2018, 8,33,843 new cases were filed before the subordinate courts in West Bengal and the union territory, while 10,236,03 cases were decided during the period, thus reducing pendency of cases by 1,89,760 cases.

The subordinate judiciary has excelled in doing so,with the assistance extended by the advocates, staff and litigant public in clearing backlog cases, inviting praise from the Chief Justice, he said.

In the seven months till July 31, 2019, 4.5 lakh cases were filed, while 3.91 lakh cases were decided, the Registrar General said, adding that the reduction in the backlog will be maintained at the end of the calender year.

Samanta said that out of 6,17,145 cases settled in the 2820 benches of Lok Adalats conducted in 2018 in the sub-ordinate courts, settlement amounts stood at Rs 224.62 crores.

During the first seven months of 2019, the Lok Adalats conducted in sub-ordinate courts settled 40,837 cases and the settlement amount stood at Rs 128.87 crore.

The sub-ordinate courts disbursed Rs 3.96 crores towards victim compensation in the state in case of acid attack and rapes, the Registrar General said.