CJI warns against adjournment disease

Chennai: The Chief Justice of India Justice Dipak Misra has asked judges and advocates to commence the trial on time as maintaining punctuality is a facet of Rule of Law, which a basic feature of the Constitution.

Delivering the presidential address in 125th-year celebrations of Madras high court heritage building on Saturday, Justice Dipak Misra said members of the Bench and assisting counsel should understand it is an obligation. Sitting on time and maintaining punctuality is a facet of Rule of Law, a basic feature of the Constitution. Any counsel should not suffer from the disease of adjournment. And develop a sense of anti-adjournments. He recommended the judges to read a book - 'Judges Disease', and not to suffer from judges disease.

He said the Madras high court heritage building stands as an embodiment of architectural monuments and a great tradition set by talented judges and lawyers.

He said modernisation and liberal economy pose new problems that challenge the acumen of the Bar and judiciary. There is a need to enhance the knowledge and skills in the ever-changing world of science and technology.

Union minister of law and justice Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Madras high court is known for its judicial history. Today, the court has laid a big foundation that the high court can also be known by its architectural history. The court buildings also instil assurance and command authority.

He pointed out that over 2.97 lakh cases were pending before the Madras high court and subordinate courts 10.99 lakh. Stating that the delivery of justice must become a mass movement he said the government and judiciary must launch mission mode initiate to dispose of all the cases, which are more than 10 years old. Disposal of these cases must be settled on a priority basis. The government and the judiciary must work together to achieve the target. He hoped with the judiciary and government would take steps to dispose of these cases soon.
 Last year the Central government has appointed 126 HC judges, the highest ever in the history in a year. Since 1989, an average of 75 to 83 judges appointed per year. However, this year, so far, the government appointed 75 judges, and by September this number will cross 100 and by the end of the year, the number likely to cross 126.

Last year 22 judges were appointed to Madras high court and this year six have been appointed and 11 recommendations have come so far, he said.
Expressing his condolence to former CM, J. Jayalalithaa, he stated that she passed away rather early. "When I told her she had a perfect legal mind and in reply, Jaya informed me that 'I regret not being a lawyer and therefore I compensate for that when I prepare for my own case"

Pending cases

Of the 2.97 lakh pending cases in Tamil Nadu, a little over 77,000 cases are over 10 years, Union minister of law and justice, electronics and IT Ravishankar Prasad Prasad noted, and called for a “mission-mode initiative” for their disposal.