NEW DELHI: While expressing concern over the huge inflow of cases to the Supreme Court, where around three crore cases are pending, the Chief Justice of India on Thursday sought the Bar’s suggestions on ways to ensure speedy disposal of the cases.
“Load of work, which is flowing in the highest judiciary, is uncontrolled and excessive. We are not finding ways and means to deal with the situation,” a five-judge constitution Bench headed by Justice R M Lodha said while hearing the petitions filed by death-row convicts seeking commutation of their sentences to life imprisonment.
Justice Lodha also expressed unhappiness over the way lawyers’ associations reacted to his proposal to make courts work round the year.
“Without comprehending and discussing the issue, reactions are coming against the proposal,” he said.
He asked senior lawyers to hold consultations among themselves and come out with suggestions to deal with the increasing workload.
“You are senior people. You should sit together and suggest to us. I really want a solution. Help us in finding solution,” the Bench said.
Justice Lodha said he had recently interacted with 12 Chief Justices of other countries and that none of their Supreme Courts handled such a large number of cases. In some Supreme Courts, he said, only 150 appeals are heard in a year.