Ravi Shankar Prasad said steps were taken to improve infrastructure of courts throughout India
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today said his ministry has requested all courts to clear 10-year-old cases immediately to bring down pendency of cases.
The government has taken various measures to improve the infrastructure of various courts across the country so that justice delivery is expedited, he said during Question Hour in Lok Sabha.
He said that the PM Modi government has already released 50 per cent funds for the infrastructure improvement. He added that the National Judicial Database is now in place.
Besides, he said, the government has made 478 appointments in courts and number of top court Judges has been increased.
On pendency of cases in various courts, he said, all courts have been requested to immediately clear civil and criminal cases which are pending for 10 years.
"I would take this opportunity to again request Chief Justice of all courts to immediately dispose of cases which are pending for 10 years," he said.
More than 43 lakh cases are pending in 25 courts in the country and over 8 lakh of these are over a decade old.
Mr Prasad also said there is a case for All India Judicial Service but there are reservations expressed by some courts.
The All-India Judicial Services would ensure that lawyers from marginalized communities get due representation in the lower judiciary, he said.
He said if such a service comes up, it would help create a pool of talented people who could later become part of the higher judiciary.
Mr Prasad said that setting up a bench of court for Western Uttar Pradesh has already been demanded.
There is a set procedure which has to be followed for setting up of bench, he said, adding, Principal High Court has to recommend while infrastructure is provided by the state government.