The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday pulled up the Narendra Modi government for the shortage of judges. The bench warned Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad of “appropriate action” if the matter was not resolved soon, News18 reported.
The observations were made by the High Court while examining an anticipatory bail application filed by Bengali film actor Vikram Chatterjee in the Sonika Chauhan death case, Bar and Bench reported.
“The time is now ripe for speaking our mind out, or else this premier institution will gradually lose its efficacy,” said a bench of Justices Dipankar Dattaand Debi Prosad Dey. “The bar and the litigant public have been tolerant for so long, but this Bench cannot remain a silent spectator waiting for the inevitable ire to explode,”
The court added that the problem of shortage of judges has “assumed the character of a perpetual concern” and an issue that “the powers that be” have neglected.
The bench said that while the sanctioned strength of judges at the court is 72, only 34 judges have been appointed. It said the shortfall of judges would rise by February 2018 because 10 more judges would retire by then.
Chatterjee’s anticipatory bail application could not be listed by the court in time, prompting the police to arrest him. The actor is in custody for the death of model Sonika Chauhan in a car crash on April 29.
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