CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court Bar Association (OHCBA) on Monday expressed deep concern over the acute shortage of judges in the High Court, saying the situation had made the administration of justice “unsustainable” and caused serious delays for litigants.
Addressing a media-conference, OHCBA president Lalatendu Samantaray and secretary Hrudananda Mohapatra said the Orissa High Court was functioning with only 17 judges against a sanctioned strength of 33. Of the 17, two judges have already been recommended for transfer to other high courts.
“It is practically impossible to run the High Court with 50 per cent strength,” the association said, pointing out that the shortage has assumed serious proportions at a time when the court is grappling with a huge pendency of nearly 17 lakh cases.
The Bar said the growing gap between the mounting case backlog and diminishing working strength of the bench had created an “unsurmountable logjam”, resulting in agonising delays for thousands of litigants awaiting judicial relief.
The association further highlighted difficulties faced in listing freshly filed and urgent matters before appropriate benches. Due to the severe shortage, the existing judges have been overburdened with cases, while several matters are not being listed for hearing within a reasonable time. “This delay in listing has halted proceedings, stranding hundreds of litigants without a legal remedy,” the OHCBA said.
It added that advocates were also facing immense professional distress, administrative friction, and severe inconvenience on a daily basis.
Speedy justice is a core constitutional guarantee. The right has being compromised because vacancies have remained unfilled. The Bar had consistently extended cooperation to ensure judicial efficiency but the continuous depletion of judges without simultaneous replenishment had made the situation untenable, it said.
At its general body meeting on August 14, the OHCBA resolved to send a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu, the Chief Justice of India and other judges of the Supreme Court collegium regarding the appointment of judges to the Orissa High Court. The Bar will also raise its grievance over the non-representation of Odisha in the Supreme Court before the President and the apex court, Samantaray and Mohapatra said.
The OHCBA representatives, including its president and secretary, will seek meetings with the President and CJI to place the grievances before them. The association also resolved that, if necessary, it may approach the Supreme Court with a writ petition seeking appointment of judges to the Orissa High Court.
