Judge-To-Population Ratio Was Ordered To Be Made 50 Per Million By 2007, But Not Even 25 Per Million In 2024 : Supreme Court Laments
LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK
22 Nov 2024 7:10 PM IST
The Supreme Court lamented the low judge-to-population ratio in India, which leads to the huge work stress on judicial officers, making them prone to making mistakes.
The Court recalled that in 2002, a direction was passed in the All India Judges Association case that by 2007, the judge-to-population ratio in the trial judiciary should be 50 per million. However, even in 2024, this ratio is not even 25 per million.
A bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka, Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice Augustine George Masih made these observations while expunging certain adverse remarks made by the Delhi High Court against a Sessions Judge. The Court held that personal criticism of judicial officers should be avoided while setting aside the orders.
In the judgment which called for judicial restraint while making remarks against the personal conduct of judges, the Court reminded that even the judges of higher courts are vulnerable to making mistakes.
The judgment also referred to the immense stress faced by judges due to the huge workload, which makes them prone to make errors.
"Every Judge, irrespective of his post and status, is likely to commit errors. In a given case, after writing several sound judgments, a judge may commit an error in one judgment due to the pressure of work or otherwise. As stated earlier, the higher court can always correct the error. However, while doing so, if strictures are passed personally against a Judicial Officer, it causes prejudice to the Judicial Officer, apart from the embarrassment involved. We must remember that when we sit in constitutional courts, even we are prone to making mistakes. Therefore, personal criticism of Judges or recording findings on the conduct of Judges in judgments must be avoided." the judgment observed.
The Court recalled that in 2002, it was observed in the All India Judges case that the judge-to-population ratio in our trial judiciary should be 50 per million by 2007. However, we have not even reached the ratio of 25 per million in 2024. "Meanwhile, the population and litigation have substantially increased. The Judges have to work under stress," the Court said.
Case : Sonu Agnihotri v.Chandra Shekhar and others
Citation : 2024 LiveLaw (SC) 910
