Observe Court working hours, upload judgments on time, Bombay HC to subordinate judicial officers

The Chief Justice of Bombay High Court Pradeep Nandrajog has issued directions to all the Principal District & Sessions Judges in respect of irregularities observed during the Course of inspection of Sub-ordinate Courts.

The communication to Principal judges and president judges of District Courts and Sessions Court was issued by SG Dige, Registrar (Inspection), Appellate side of the Bombay High Court through an email last week.

As per communication issued by the Registrar, certain irregularities were observed after inspection of the functioning of lower courts.

It was found that the judicial officers are not observing Court timing and are sitting on dais after time of 11 am and leave the dais before the scheduled Court working time.

It was further observed,

"When matters are placed on board for evidence, sometime it is not recorded on one or other pretext. The litigants are required to wait for the whole day and sometimes the matters could not reach on the same day."

It was also noted that the Judicial officers generally leave their head-quarter without giving intimation to the concerned authority.

After perusing these observations, in order to maintain Court decorum and to cure the irregularities, the Chief Justice Nandrajog issued following directions to the subordinate judicial officers in the state.

1) To observe court working hours and to sit on the dais sharp at 11 am.

2) To avoid practice of keeping a judgement reserved for a long time, upload immediately and also ensure that they are uploaded.

3) If it is noticed that the matters placed on board do not reach on the same day, then give next date to the litigant at the earliest, instead of keeping them waiting for whole day.

4) To complete the evidence of witnesses on the same day as far as possible.

5) To earmark the seats for senior citizens in Court.

6) To take prior permission or intimate the Principal District and Sessions Judge/concerned authority before leaving your head-quarter.

With these directions, the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court asked the Principal, President and Chief judges of the lower Courts to bring the directions to the notice of Judicial Officers under their control. The High Court further asked the lower courts to ensure the directions are strictly followed.

[Read the High Court directions here]