The situation was a tad better in 2007 when a judge had to hear around 200-220 cases every day. In 2008, judges have no other option but to adjourn cases for 8 to 10 months. By doing this, the judges not only reduce the total number of cases which have to be decided every day but also get time to go through cases before taking a decision.

“We are being criticised for adjourning cases but we are helpless. We are not computers that we can hear all the cases, record contentions of both the parties and decide within two minutes. We give long dates under compulsion so that we can reduce the total number of cases and give adequate time to each case. If we don’t do this, it is impossible for anyone to hear and decide a case within a minute,” said a judge.

Every court has a minimum of 7,000 pending cases. More than 60 per cent of these are criminal cases and the majority of them are cheque bounce cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act.

For the last two years, no fresh recruitment for the post of magistrate or judge has been made in the UT District Courts. At present, there are 19 magistrates in the UT District Courts.

The number of court staff has considerably decreased in the last six months. While some of them have retired, a few of them have been promoted to the High Court. The local courts are now left with a few senior employees.