Open Positions in the Judiciary
In an effort to address the pressing issues within India's judiciary, several measures are being considered to improve the system's efficiency and reduce the high pendency of cases.
One of the key challenges faced by the judiciary is the frequent vacancies that occur due to retirement, resignations, promotions, demise of judges, and the expansion of court benches. As of the current situation, there are over 5,600 vacancies across all levels of the judiciary. Specifically, there are 2 vacancies in the Supreme Court, 364 in the High Courts, and 5,245 in the District Courts.
These vacancies not only lead to increased workload on existing judges but also contribute to delays in the resolution of cases. To combat this, efforts are being made to explore solutions to reduce the frequency of judicial vacancies and streamline the appointment process to reduce delays.
One potential solution being investigated is the expediting of lower court appointments by reducing the number of approvals required. Delays in lower court appointments often occur due to multiple approvals, and streamlining this process could significantly reduce the time it takes to fill vacancies.
Another solution being considered is the establishment of the All India Judicial Service (AIJS) for a more efficient judicial system. The AIJS aims to provide a centralised system for the recruitment and training of judges, which could help to reduce the time and effort required to fill vacancies.
In addition, the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) is being revisited as a potential solution to improve the appointment process for judges. The NJAC was established with the aim of making the appointment process more transparent and efficient, and its potential benefits are being re-examined in light of the current challenges faced by the judiciary.
Furthermore, addressing excessive caseloads in the judiciary is also a key focus area. Limited financial incentives and excessive caseloads discourage skilled lawyers from joining the judiciary, which exacerbates the problem of vacancies. To address this issue, efforts are being made to reduce financial disincentives for skilled lawyers to join the judiciary and improve the judge-to-population ratio across all levels of the judiciary.
The search results do not contain explicit information about which institution announced the approval of the founding of the AIJS. However, it is clear that addressing the challenges faced by the judiciary is a priority for many, and efforts are being made to find solutions to improve the system's efficiency and reduce the high pendency of cases.
