SURAJ NANDREKAR
suraj@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Even as the process has begun to appoint 10 more judges, against 14 vacant posts in various courts across Goa, the State’s courts have approximately 32,419 cases pending.
As per information received from the government, there are six vacant posts of judges in North Goa – 1 District Judge, 1 Ad Hoc District and Assistant Sessions Judge-II, 4 in Civil Judges, Junior Division and JMFC.
In South Goa the vacancies are for Court of District Judge – III & Assistant Sessions Judge, Court of District Judge IV & Assistant Sessions Judge, Court of Adhoc District Judge-I & Assistant Sessions Judge (FTC-I), Court of Adhoc District Judge-II & Assistant Sessions Judge (FTC-II), Sr Civil Judge and JMFC, Vasco, Civil Judge a& JMFC, Vasco, Civil Judge Jr Division & JMFC Sanguem and Civil Judge Jr Div & JMFC.
The information reveals that some of the vacancies are pending since 2015. Moreover, as the vacancies are yet to be filled, cases in various courts have continued to swell.
What’s interesting is that the numbers of pending cases are of criminal and civil courts and do not include the pending cases in High Court and Children’s Court.
Law Minister Francis D’Souza said the State has a very limited role in appointment of judges and is done by the High Court of Bombay at Goa. “We have cleared the appointment of six judges for trial courts and sent to the HC over a month ago and I think the appointment orders should come soon,” he said.
On the number of cases pending, he said it cannot be attributed to just shortage of judges. “Every day there are several cases filed even as several are disposed so this process will continue,” he said.
Information also reveals that the number of criminal cases in North (10,502) and South Goa (13,140) is 23,642 while the number of civil cases in North (3,957) and South (4,820) is 8,777.
The reason given for the pending criminal cases by the Law Department is, “The cases are pending on account of absence/non service of summons/warrants to the accused/respondent, want of prosecution witnesses, on account of adjournment sought by the advocates/parties.”
The reply for the civil cases is: “The cases are pending on account of non-service of defendants, legal heirs, witnesses, adjournment sought by the advocates/parties, interlocutory applications filed by the parties/bulky evidence, mundkarial/tenancy issues pending and some matters are stayed by the higher authorities.”
