183 joint district judges to be promoted

The promotions of 183 joint district judges to the rank of additional district judges are now being processed at the Supreme Court.
The law ministry, on June 14, sent a proposal to the Supreme Court for promoting these 183 joint district judges to the rank of additional district judges.
Supreme Court sources said that they are getting the files of joint district judges ready for submission before the scrutinising committee.
“We are getting the files of the 183 joint district judges ready after scrutinising all their previous records,” a high-ranking official of the Supreme Court told The Independent, requesting anonymity.
He also said that these files would be submitted before the scrutinising committee by this week. Later, the committee would place the files before the full court meeting. The full court meeting would give their promotions, he added.
Before placing the files at the full court meeting, the scrutinising committee, consisting of four members—Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, Justice Nazrul Islam, Justice Zinat Ara and Justice Obaidul Hassan—will examine the law ministry’s proposal with respect to the joint district judges for their promotion to additional district judges, said the officials concerned.
After checking, the scrutinising committee will place the files before the full court meeting, to be held shortly, the sources said.
An official of the Supreme Court said that if the full court meeting approves the promotions of all 183 joint district judges to the rank of
additional judges, it would be a record number of such promotions together. Never before has such a huge number of promotions taken place at one time.
Previously, the ministry used to send the files of 60 to 80 judges for their promotions. After getting the proposal from the ministry, the Supreme Court would grant their promotions within five to six months after completion of formalities. However, this time, the apex court will expedite functions quickly because of the backlog of cases pending with the courts.
Official concerned said the promotions would take place after all necessary formalities are completed within a month-and-a-half, sources said.
According to SC sources, the promotions would help expedite the disposal of the backlog of cases pending before the courts.
Sources said at least 3,098,569 cases are pending with the courts. Of these, 15,383 were pending with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, 369,813 with the High Court Division, and the rest with the lower courts, for disposal.
At present, the Appellate Division has only seven judges, and the HC has 97, while around 1,100 judges are actively serving in lower courts, the Supreme Court’s registrar general Syed Aminul Islam said.
At present, there are over 1,600 posts for lower court judges, and 399 of these are vacant. Of the vacant posts, 263 are for the posts of senior
assistant judges, 89 for joint district judges, 30 for additional district judges, and 17 for district judges.
More posts are likely to be vacant following the promotions and retirement of judges, sources said.
Under these circumstances, the government is soon going to recruit 60 assistant judges and judicial magistrates for the lower courts in order to fill up the vacant posts, sources said.

183 joint district judges to be promoted

The promotions of 183 joint district judges to the rank of additional district judges are now being processed at the Supreme Court. The law ministry, on June 14, sent a proposal to the Supreme Court for promoting these 183 joint district judges to the rank of additional district judges. Supreme Court sources said that they are getting the files of joint district judges ready for submission before the scrutinising committee. We are getting the files of the 183 joint district judges ready after scrutinising all their previous records, a high-ranking official of the Supreme Court told The Independent, requesting anonymity. He also said that these files would be submitted before the scrutinising committee by this week. Later, the committee would place the files before the full court meeting. The full court meeting would give their promotions, he added. Before placing the files at the full court meeting, the scrutinising committee, consisting of four membersChief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, Justice Nazrul Islam, Justice Zinat Ara and Justice Obaidul Hassanwill examine the law ministrys proposal with respect to the joint district judges for their promotion to additional district judges, said the officials concerned. After checking, the scrutinising committee will place the files before the full court meeting, to be held shortly, the sources said. An official of the Supreme Court said that if the full court meeting approves the promotions of all 183 joint district judges to the rank of additional judges, it would be a record number of such promotions together. Never before has such a huge number of promotions taken place at one time. Previously, the ministry used to send the files of 60 to 80 judges for their promotions. After getting the proposal from the ministry, the Supreme Court would grant their promotions within five to six months after completion of formalities. However, this time, the apex court will expedite functions quickly because of the backlog of cases pending with the courts. Official concerned said the promotions would take place after all necessary formalities are completed within a month-and-a-half, sources said. According to SC sources, the promotions would help expedite the disposal of the backlog of cases pending before the courts. Sources said at least 3,098,569 cases are pending with the courts. Of these, 15,383 were pending with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, 369,813 with the High Court Division, and the rest with the lower courts, for disposal. At present, the Appellate Division has only seven judges, and the HC has 97, while around 1,100 judges are actively serving in lower courts, the Supreme Courts registrar general Syed Aminul Islam said. At present, there are over 1,600 posts for lower court judges, and 399 of these are vacant. Of the vacant posts, 263 are for the posts of senior assistant judges, 89 for joint district judges, 30 for additional district judges, and 17 for district judges. More posts are likely to be vacant following the promotions and retirement of judges, sources said. Under these circumstances, the government is soon going to recruit 60 assistant judges and judicial magistrates for the lower courts in order to fill up the vacant posts, sources said.