Pendency of cases in Nagaland increased marginally in 2022

April 17, 2023 50 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 17

The combined pendency of cases in the Kohima Bench of the Gauhati High Court (GHC) as well as Subordinate Courts in Nagaland increased marginally from a total of 9997 at the end of 2021 to 10104 as on December 31, 2022, an official report informed. This indicates an increase of 107 cases or by 1.05%.

Analysis of the data ‘Pendency or Disposal of cases’ in the GHC, Kohima Bench and in Subordinate Courts provided in the in Annual Administrative Report 2022-2023, Department of Law and Justice, Nagaland informed that while pendency increased in the former, there was a marked decrease in the latter, bring down the overall pending cases slightly.

Under the judicial structure of each state of India, the High Court is regarded as the highest authority while various other courts below are referred as subordinate courts.

Cases in Kohima Bench
As per there report, the number of pending cases in the GHC Kohima Bench increased from 966 in 2021 to 1111 on December 31, 2022.

During the January-December 2022 period, a total of 844 cases – comprising of 730 civil and 114 criminal cases were ‘instituted’ in the Kohima Bench. Institution refers to the total cases filed in the Court in a given period.

Out the total, 359 or 42.53% in 2022 were Writ Petition filed under Article 226 & 227 of the Constitution, with civil writs dominating at 346.

Likewise, in terms of case disposed of during the period, out of total 699 cases, 332 or 47.49% were writ petitions (266 civil and 17 criminal).

Meanwhile, the pendency of cases stood at 1111 at the end of 2022, propelled by 588 writ petitions, out of which 584 pertained to civil while 4 were criminal.

The GHC Kohima Bench inaugurated as a Circuit Bench on 01.12.1972 and thereafter, on February 7, 1990, the President of India declared it Permanent Bench with the strength of two permanent station Judges in Kohima. It was inaugurated on February 10, 1990.

Among other achievements of the Bench in 2022 was the commencing of Live Streaming of Court proceedings for Court No. 1 on the December 12 during which the proceedings of the Division Bench were live streamed on the official YouTube Channel, ‘eCourts Nagaland.’ Since then, the proceeding of Court I are streamed regularly.

Pendency decreases in Subordinate Courts
The report informed that pendency of cases in Subordinate Courts in Nagaland decreased by 126 or 2.79% from 4569 in 2021 to 4443 in 2022. Out of 4443 pending cases, 1287 were criminal while 2856 were criminal cases.

A total of 5366 cased were instituted in 2022 while 5492 cases were disposed of.

The department plans to expedite the speedy disposal of cases in the High Court and the Subordinate Courts of the State of Nagaland by ICT enablement of Courts, the report noted.

Meanwhile, the report informed that Case Information System (CIS) is live and operative in all 11 District Courts of Nagaland with data of nine being reflected on the National Judicial Data Grid portal at https://njdg.ecourts.gov.in/njdgnew/index.php.

Broadband internet connectivity has been provided to eight District Courts for facilitating video conferencing and website maintenance, while in the remaining three, 3G/4G services are provided to enable basic internet activity. e-Sewa Kendras are functional in all eleven District Courts.

Future activities
According to the Law and Justice’s AAR, in view of the creation of four new districts — Niuland, Chümoukedima, Tseminyu and Shamator, the Kohima Bench has initiated various steps with the Government of Nagaland.

These include the allotment of site for construction of court buildings and residential units in the newly created districts of Niuland, Tseminyu and Shamator. There is plan to repair the existing Court building and inauguration of new Judicial District at Chümoukedima, it said.

Among others, the department further plan to create of new posts in the cadre of District & Sessions Judge, Judicial Magistrates and Court Staff to man the new District Courts, it added.

Besides, the new District Court building in Tuensang, there is plan for timely completion of the New High Court complex in Kohima at the earliest, it added.