Jammu & Kashmir High Court Takes New Measures To Reduce Long-Pending Cases

The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has recently issued an Office Order outlining steps to reduce the arrears of pending cases in the High Court.

A notification issued by Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh on the subject states that all final hearing matters over 10 years old shall be listed on Tuesday and Thursday, and these days shall be kept exclusive as Final Hearing Days on which no other non-hearing matter will be taken unless permitted by the Chief Justice.

The notice additionally states that cases that are more than 20 years old will remain on the roster board until final disposition and that such matters will be reflected in the cause list as “Target Cases.”

Concerning the listing of urgent matters on the final hearing days, which are Tuesday and Thursday, the notification instructs that the urgent matters be put before the roster benches, subject to mentioning. For the time being, admission and order proceedings that have been scheduled for Final Hearing Days due to previous judicial orders will be heard only after the final hearing matters are completed, the notification highlighted.

The notification also prescribes for the formation of a fast-track Single Bench from time to time in both wings of the High Court to hear “Target cases,” regardless of roster.

The notification directs the Bench Secretaries/Readers of the respective Courts to ensure that only final hearing matters are fixed on Tuesday and Thursday in the future, and that the CIS calendar is strictly followed, and that the number of cases listed before the bench does not ordinarily exceed 70.