Supreme Court Eases High Court Ad Hoc Judge Appointments Amid Backlog

The Supreme Court has eased conditions for High Courts to appoint retired judges on an ad hoc basis to tackle case backlogs. The court allows appointments of two to five judges, not exceeding 10% of a High Court's total strength. This decision comes amid rising case numbers across High Courts.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 30-01-2025 18:39 IST | Created: 30-01-2025 18:39 IST
Supreme Court Eases High Court Ad Hoc Judge Appointments Amid Backlog
Supreme Court of India (File Photo/ANI). Image Credit: ANI
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In response to mounting case backlogs, the Supreme Court has relaxed conditions for the appointment of retired judges on an ad hoc basis in High Courts. On Thursday, a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khana, alongside Justice BR Gavai and Justice Surya Kant, announced that each High Court can nominate two to five retired judges, provided the number does not surpass 10% of its total judicial capacity.

These ad hoc judges will serve on benches headed by sitting judges, specifically to address pending criminal appeals. The move is expected to alleviate the pressure of unresolved cases, as emphasized in a directive by the CJI-led bench, which invoked Article 224A of the Indian Constitution.

This directive arises from a plea by NGO Lok Prahari, highlighting the surge in pending cases across High Courts. As per the National Judicial Data Grid, over 62 lakh cases are pending, including more than 18.2 lakh criminal and over 44,000 civil cases. The Supreme Court has thus lifted previous restrictions based on vacancy levels, allowing appointments irrespective of the current number of vacancies.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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