PUDUCHERRY: The functioning of courts here was affected on Friday as the lawyers boycotted them, demanding the immediate appointment of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), the post of whom has been lying vacant for sometime.
Bar Association sources said the decision on the boycott was taken at the general body meeting of the association two days ago, though the process for the appointment of CJM was on and an announcement on it was expected any time.
The meeting decided to organise also a meeting to honour Chief Minister N Rangasamy for declaring November 1 as the Liberation Day of Puducherry. Retired Justice David Annusamy, who was a member of the committee, would be felicitated in the November function.
Meanwhile, sources said the number of pending cases in all the courts in the Union Territory (UT) was 26,300. The UT has been sanctioned five new courts, which are expected to start functioning soon. The common facilities block, which was inaugurated a few months back, was being put in place, sources added.