Reducing case backlogs

Given the fact that the Supreme Court (SC) spends six months in a year vacationing, including weekends, and has some 300,000 pending cases, the chief justice (CJ) has iterated the need for reducing the number of holidays. Although a proposal has been put forward to the High Court judges to address this gridlock, we understand the CJ's emphasis on increasing the number of working days is consistent with the general concern over the issue of reducing the glut of cases. We have nothing but utmost admiration and respect for the SC as the highest seat of judiciary in the land; however, we also believe that something has to be done to expedite the resolution of so many thousands of cases in public interest. For, justice delayed, even unwittingly, may cause justice to be denied.

The CJ's proposal strikes a responsive chord in all right thinking people who value expeditious adjudication of cases. When considering what judges of supreme courts in other countries are availing themselves of in terms of vacations, we find that South Korean SC reportedly has a total of 20 days of holidays in a year. This may not be the exact benchmark but perhaps the highest judiciary in its best wisdom will find scope for adjustment of timetables. The cases that make it to the SC are of great significance and a judge hearing the case must have enough time to hear both defence and prosecution to properly adjudicate the issue at hand, before passing judgement. All this requires time, so optimal use of time is of the essence here.