http://oheraldo.in/node/10977
Vacancy for judges lead to huge backlog of cases BY HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 12 — The backlog of cases in various courts in the state is 34,315. In the courts of North Goa alone 22647 cases (criminal and civil) are pending, while in South Goa number of pending cases is little less – 11, 668. But if considered the number of posts of judges that are vacant in various courts of the state, escalating number of pending cases will not appear shocking. As per information submitted to the Goa Assembly in the last assembly session, altogether 17 posts of judges are vacant in the state . This include four posts of Additional District and Sessions Judge, three posts of Civil Judge, JMFC (Senior Division) and ten posts of Civil Judge, JMFC (junior Division). When contacted the Law Secretary, U V Bakre said the High Court has started with the process of filling of the vacant posts of judges. Currently, they are scrutinising the applications. However, he could inform as to when the process of filling of vacancies would be begin, since it was done by the High Court. It is more of civil cases mostly pertaining to land disputes, which are pending. In North Goa there are 13381 civil cases pending — of which highest numbers of pending cases is in Civil Judge, Sr Division, & JMFC 'C' Court, Mapusa. Number of cases pending before this court is 1740, backlog of cases before other courts in Mapusa is also big — Civil Judge, Sr Division & JMFC 'B' Court have before it 1509 cases while Civil Judge, Sr Division & JMFC 'F' Court has 1154 cases. Total number of criminal cases pending in the North Goa courts is 9266, with a huge number of criminal cases lying before JMFC 'A' court (1468), JMFC 'B', (1359), JMFC 'C' (1363) and JMFC 'D' (1424) in Panjim . Pendency of cases in South Goa courts is relatively less. Number of civil cases pending is 7262 while 4406 are criminal matters. -- TUMCHER AXIRVAD ASSUM; DEV BOREM KORUM. Gabe Menezes. London, England
