Appointing more judges key to clearing huge case backlogs

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has been facing an acute shortage of judges as no new judges have been appointed to the court for more than two years despite the retirement, resignation and death of some judges.

The number of apex court judges has come down to six from 11 in 2009 after the retirement of Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana, the first-ever female judge of the Supreme Court.

The government may take an initiative to promote some High Court judges to the Appellate Division in a month, as the apex court has been going through a shortage of judges for more than two years.