Prez Pranab espouses the cause of speedy and affordable justice

Allahabad: Admitting lack of adequate number of judges in various High Courts of the Country, President Pranab Mukharjee said he would try to get more judges recruited.

Out of a sanctioned strength of 1056 judges in all the High Courts of the country, only 591 judges were there as per the figures on March 1, 2016, he said on Sunday while inaugurating sesquicentennial celebrations of Allahabad High Court. Adding he said that Allahabad High Court had only 71 judges, including the Chief Justice, against the sanctioned strength of 160 judges despite pendency of over nine lakh cases.

Stressing the need of imparting 'affordable' and 'speedy' justice to all , Pranab Mukerjee said that the Courts may have played an important role to uphold high norms of democracy but yet to fully meet the aspirations of the people in this regard.

“I feel proud coming to the this city, the new wing of this High Court was started by then President Rajendra Prasad and Allahabd has given many prominent personalities to our country,” said Mukharjee in his address.

What else did he say?

• A total of three crore cases are pending in the Courts of the country.
• Out of these over 38 lakh cases are pending in 24 High Courts.
• Judiciary holds a very prominent place in our constitution as one of the pillars of the democracy.
• Judges,lawyers and the governments must work together to make justive a living reality.
• Hoped the Central and state government would do their bit to reduce pendency of cases in allahabad High Court.
• Courts are equal to Temples.
• All the courts have been made hi-tech.

Chief Justice of India—T S Thakur:

The Chief Justice of India (CJI) T S Thakur, said that Uttar Pradesh is the biggest state and Allahabad is a very different city.

• Bar is as important as the bench.
• More than 10 lakhs cases are pending.Remembered former advocate Moti Lal Nehru, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Tej Bahadur Sapru and other prominent names of Allahabad High Court.