Litigants may lose confidence if legal process moves at snail's pace: Supreme Court in 43-year-old case

While pronouncing its judgment in a 43-year-old case, the Supreme Court on Friday expressed concern that the public may lose confidence in the legal process if such delays continue. .A bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Justice Aravind Kumar expressed anguish that there were even 50-year-old cases still pending before certain courts."Litigants may become disillusioned when the legal process moves at a snail's pace. This matter has been pending for over 43 years. We have expressed our anguish where some litigation pending since 50 years are also pending as per National Judicial Data Grid. Some of the oldest cases are in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, which are over 65 years old," the bench stated.The verdict was authored by Justice Kumar..Reading out the operative part of the verdict, the judge proceeded to issue eleven directions to Chief Justices of High Courts to ensure that the progress of old cases is monitored."We have issued eleven directions to the Chief Justices of the High Courts and how the old cases are to be monitored, especially the ones which are pending for over five years. The Secretary General of this Court is requested to furnish this judgment to all the Registrars of the High Courts," the Court said. .While passing the order, the bench urged for litigants to refrain from seeking adjournments and prolonging hearings, where possible.Efforts to curb the high case pendency require the efforts of both judges and lawyers, he added."Litigants will lose confidence when the delay continues. We have cited how a member of the Californian Bar had spoken on it and cited remedial measures for it. Litigants should be circumspect in seeking adjournments and should not take the goodness of the presiding officers as their weakness. We have noted down countrywide statistics and how efforts needed from the Bar and the Bench," the Court observed..[Read judgment]