By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, APRIL 24, 2013: THE Government has said that the working days in the Supreme Court and in each of the High Courts in the country, are regulated by Rules framed by the respective Court. The working days of the district or subordinate courts are regulated by the concerned High Court. According to available information, High Courts in the country have normally 210 working days in a year.

Giving this information in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Dr. Ashwani Kumar, Minister of Law & Justice, said that in respect of vacancies in High Courts, Government has periodically been writing to the Chief Justices of the High Courts to send proposals timely for filling the vacancies. Government has written to Chief Justices of the High Courts to invite the attention of the district judges, inter-alia, to the provisions in Section 309 of the Code of Criminal Procedure so that court proceedings are held on a day to day basis until all witnesses in attendance, have been examined and the adjournments are minimized.

Dr. Ashwani Kumar informed the House that in order to reduce pendency of cases in courts, Advisory Council of the National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms has resolved that the overall number of judges/courts in subordinate judiciary may be increased to double the present number over a period of five years with matching support from the Central and the State Governments. A comprehensive scheme of National Court Management Systems (NCMS) has been formulated and notified by the Supreme Court under which a National Framework of Court Excellence (NFCE) has been prepared, which shall set measurable standards of performance of courts addressing the issues of quality, responsiveness and timeliness. Based on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee of NCMS, the Chief Justice of India has written to the Chief Justices of High Courts for doubling the number of Courts in Subordinate Judiciary. He has urged the Chief Justices to take it up with the State Governments for providing the requisite funds as well as funds for infrastructure and staff.