Delhi: LG approves hiring of 5 judicial officers, 35 other clerical and support staff in five special city courts
New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the hiring of five judicial officers and 35 other clerical and support staff in five special courts to clear the huge backlog of cases registered under the Negotiable Instruments Act (NI Act) in city courts, the official said on Monday.
"The appointments of court staff including readers, stenographers, Ahlmads, Assistant Ahlmads, and peons will be made on a contract basis for a period of one year as a pilot project to examine the efficacy and additional requirements of staff and resources, if any, in future," a statement from the LG office read. It further said that the move aims at expediting the disposal of court cases under the NI Act and reducing the huge pendency of cases in these courts, mainly due to procedural and logistical delays owing to a shortage of staff.
The decision came in wake of the Supreme Court order that was issued on May 19 this year, in a Suo Moto Writ regarding "Expeditious Trial of Cases under Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881."
Following the apex court's order, the Law Department had sought the approval of the Lieutenant Governor for engaging the court staff.
"The State Court Management Committee of the Delhi High Court has recommended that only 2500 oldest pending cases will be assigned by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) to every special court (NI Act) at the time of commencement of the pilot project," the statement further read.
According to the LG office statement, it has been observed that prolonged pendency of cases under the NI Act that mostly deal with petty financial disputes including cases of cheque bounce, often made litigation in the cases irrelevant for the litigants due to inordinate delays while also causing harassment to the parties involved.
"It may be noted that non-systematic and irregular filling up of vacancies at such positions, often creates procedural and logistical impediments in the functioning of the Hon'ble Court. It is the staff that is responsible for processes that include filing of cases, scrutiny, processing, date of hearing of cases, dictation of orders, and computerized updation of dates, procedures, and orders amongst others. Non-availability of ample staff for the disposal of such functions often leads to an overall delay in the disposal of cases by the Courts and the resultant pendency," the statement added.
To equip the judiciary with ample staff and expeditiously reduce the pendency of cases, the LG earlier had directed the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB), to recruit group 'B' and 'C' non-judicial subordinate staff for the Delhi High Court.
Saxena overruled impediments to the effect that DSSSB was mandated only to recruit for GNCTD, MCD, NDMC, and other Delhi Government undertakings, in light of the express need of staffing the Court adequately for the purpose of speedy disposal of cases.
The Chief Justice of Delhi High Court had desired that DSSSB, being a professional government recruiting body may organize and conduct open examinations on behalf of the Hon'ble Court for certain posts, examinations for selection which are conducted by some outside agencies, according to different modes of recruitment at present. (ANI)
