SC: HCs Are Not Under Our Supervisory Control
The petitioner’s counsel argued that the matter had been pending for over 13 years. Justice Nath responded, “The High Courts are not under the supervisory control of this court.”
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that High Courts are not under its supervisory control and cannot be expected to dispose of matters expeditiously if they are functioning with only half their sanctioned strength.
A two-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta made the remarks while refusing to hear a plea seeking directions to the Allahabad High Court for speedy disposal of an appeal.
The petitioner’s counsel argued that the matter had been pending for over 13 years. Justice Nath responded, “The High Courts are not under the supervisory control of this court.”
When informed that the petitioner had already filed two applications for early disposal, the bench said, “Continue filing. If the High Courts are functioning on half their strength, how do you expect them to cope with all matters expeditiously? There are older cases pending. Go and make a request.”
Declining to intervene, the apex court allowed the petitioner to move the High Court again for an early hearing, adding that such an application would be considered as per procedure.
Justice Nath, recalling his days as an advocate in the Allahabad High Court, remarked, “Two applications is nothing. You may have to file hundreds of applications to get your matter listed.”
According to the law ministry’s website, the sanctioned strength of judges in High Courts is 1,122, but they are currently functioning with 792 judges, leaving 330 vacancies as of September 1.
