Mumbai First conducted a multi—stakeholder Round table discussion on Judicial Pendency in India. Shailesh Gandhi, former Chief Information Commissioner and RTI activist, made a presentation demonstrating how judicial pendency can be significantly addressed by simply filling the Vacancies across the courts in the country. Many other solutions including the use of technology, promotion of the mediation practice and using schools and government offices to augment infrastructure were discussed.

It was unanimously agreed that filling of judicial vacancies was the only mechanical solution requiring no policy intervention at any sort which could successfully address this issue. Everyone agreed that the Chief justice of Mumbai High Court and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra supporting the ”no vacancy” policy can lead to a successful model.

Shailesh Gandhi has shown through simple mathematical how vacancies in judiciary can be filled. It is time this formula is implemented The Vacancies can be filled the day a judge is appointed. This is a simple doable solution which will help to reduce the pending cases.
Neeta Kolhatkar — City Editor, Free Press Journal