LEGAL LOGJAM | Over 3 lakh cases pending in J&K courts

Srinagar, Feb 12: Jammu and Kashmir is grappling with a massive pendency of 3.35 lakh court cases across various districts and the High Court.

Minister of State (MoS), Ministry of Law And Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha said that there were over 2,90,098 pending cases in the district courts and 44,753 in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir.

This totals a massive backlog of 3,34,851 court cases yet to be disposed of across the higher and lower judiciary.

The minister provided these case pendency figures in a written response to questions raised in the Rajya Sabha regarding the state-wise details of pending court cases.

Replying in the Parliament, the minister shared a district-wise breakdown of the 2,90,098 cases pending in the district courts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Among them, 24,650 cases are pending in Anantnag, 6339 in Bandipora, 21,224 in Baramulla, 13,522 in Budgam, 6775 in Doda, 4754 in Ganderbal, 64,505 in Jammu, 11,869 in Kathua, 3584 in Kishtwar, 7964 in Kulgam, 13,240 in Kupwara, 6277 in Poonch, 11,884 in Pulwama, 10,338 in Rajouri, 5539 in Ramban, 5431 in Reasi, 7105 in Samba, 6750 in Shopian, 47,069 in Srinagar, and 11,279 in Udhampur districts across J&K.

Jammu district topped the list of cases yet to be disposed of by its district court, followed by Srinagar and Baramulla.

The minister replied that over 44,753 cases are pending in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

Providing further data, the minister said that 2,12,162 cases were registered in the district and High Courts of Jammu and Kashmir last year of which 1,92,602 were disposed of.

As of February 2, 2024, 11,695 new cases were registered in the district and High Courts of J&K and during these two months, 13,256 cases were settled.

Specifically providing details of the High Court, Meghwal said that it registered 4099 new cases in 2023. The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir disposed of 14,329 cases from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023.

Moreover, till February 2, 2024, 117 new cases were registered in the High Court of J&K and 251 cases were disposed of in this period, the minister said in his reply in the Rajya Sabha.