Justice delayed is justice denied — and in Margao courts, thousands of civil and criminal matters continue to remain stuck in a mounting backlog, severely affecting litigants and the overall efficiency of the judicial system.
According to the Court’s official website, as on 31 January 2025, the pendency in Margao Trial Courts stood at 5,276 civil cases and 3,803 criminal cases — totalling 9,079 matters pending in both civil and criminal courts.
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Margao presently has Senior Division Courts including A-Court (CJM), First, Second, and Third Additional Courts, along with six Junior Division Courts — C, D, E, F, and G.
Advocate Vidatha Rajesh Dessai expressed concern that citizens approach courts with hope — for justice, relief, and fairness — but years of pendency and repeated adjournments lead to diminishing trust. “Many people spend a lifetime waiting, and sadly, some pass away before justice is delivered,” he said.
Adv Dessai stressed that handling family, civil and criminal cases within the same court causes confusion and delays. Separate, specialised courts, he said, would speed up justice delivery. Quick-disposal matters, he suggested, should be prioritised on Saturdays with both parties’ consent. While Lok Adalats and mediation centres have helped, “many cases remain pending for years due to ego and attitude,” he noted, urging patience and understanding.
Acknowledging the heavy workload, Adv Dessai added, “Judges and court staff also experience immense stress while handling numerous cases in a single day. Therefore, all advocates, judges, and staff must work together and support one another to ensure quicker disposal of cases.” Justice, he insisted, “must be timely, focused, and accessible to all.”
Meanwhile, South Goa Advocates Association (SGAA) President Adv Prasad Naik confirmed that currently only three Senior Division Courts and one Junior Division Court are functional. “There is continued vacancy/unavailability in 50% of the courts and this is causing tremendous delays, backlogs, and denial of justice to litigants,” he said.
He informed that the Association has taken up the matter with the High Court of Bombay at Goa, which has appointed new Junior Division Judges — two allotted to Margao. However, he stated, since they are still undergoing training, delays are expected to continue until they assume full charge.
“The shortage of judges and heavy workload forces courts to adjourn cases for orders even after arguments are completed,” Naik said. He highlighted that witnesses travelling from distant places are often sent back without their evidence being recorded, as not all listed matters can be taken up. Execution proceedings — intended to provide final relief — are also stuck for years, depriving decree holders of justice already granted.
He urged temporary deployment of additional judges to vacant courtrooms until new appointees join, to prevent litigants from waiting indefinitely.
Amol Naik (name changed), a litigant, said his civil case has been pending for a long time. “I am a common man and have no financial support. It becomes difficult,” he said, reflecting the growing frustration among those seeking justice.
