STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has said over 1,000 cases are pending in courts across the country for 50 years, while a whopping two lakh plus cases are pending for 25 years.
“Over 20 lakh civil cases and one crore plus criminal cases are pending at the summoning stage. Summons has not been issued in these cases. If summons are not served, how will my judges start the trials?” Justice Gogoi posed while addressing a solemn function at Gauhati High Court premises here on Sunday morning.
Justice Ranjan Gogoi said he had addressed the Chief Justices of various high courts on July 10, during which he requested them, inter alia, to “go after” the 50-year-old and the 25-year-old cases. He said even though there are no 50-year-old cases in Assam, the State has 106 pending cases which are 25 years old.
The CJI instructed the Chief Justice (Acting) of Gauhati High Court Arup Kumar Goswami to clear such long-pending cases in Assam as soon as possible.
Citing paucity of judges as one of the major reasons for pending cases, Justice Gogoi reiterated his proposal of increasing the retirement age of the high court judges of the country.
Justice Gogoi who is known for his brilliant eloquence, said the present times are witnessing “belligerent and reckless behaviour” by a few individuals and some groups.
He, however, expressed optimism that such developments are just “exceptions” and will be defeated by the strong traditions of the country’s legal institutions.
“I am hopeful that such incidents would turn out to be exceptions and that the strong traditions and ethos of our institution shall always assist our stakeholders to display resilience to overcome the belligerence of such wayward constituents,” Justice Ranjan Gogoi said.
He said that getting selected to be a judicial functionary is an opportunity to serve this hallowed institution, whose value is always immeasurably more than what can be reasonably visualized.
“Today, I feel compelled to assert that judges and judicial officers must remember that public faith and confidence, on which our institution lives and survives, is largely built on the basis of orders and judgements passed by us,” the CJI asserted.
Justice Gogoi who started his legal career in Gauhati High Court, on Sunday laid the foundation stone of the state-of-art auditorium for the same high court. During his speech the CJI recalled his days and memories with Gauhati High Court which are close his hearts. He said he will always cherish those memories.