close
close

The ratio of judges to population was ordered to increase to 50 per million by 2007, but not even to 25 per million in 2024: Supreme Court laments

Posted on by L. Dreeye
The ratio of judges to population was ordered to increase to 50 per million by 2007, but not even to 25 per million in 2024: Supreme Court laments

The Supreme Court has deplored the low judge-to-population ratio in India, which puts enormous stress on the work of judicial officers and makes them error-prone.

The court recalled that in 2002 an order was adopted in All India Judges Association In case by 2007 the ratio of judges to population in the judicial system should be 50 per million. However, even in 2024 this ratio will not be even 25 per million.

Bench consisting of Justice Abhay S. Oka, Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice Augustine George Masih made these observations while eliminating some of the adverse remarks made by the Delhi High Court against the Session Judge. The court ruled that when overturning orders, personal criticism of bailiffs should be avoided.

In a decision calling for restraint in speaking out against the personal conduct of judges, the Court recalled that even judges of the highest courts are fallible.

The judgment also talks about the enormous stress judges face due to the huge workload that makes them prone to making mistakes.

“Every judge, regardless of his position and status, is prone to making mistakes. In a particular case, after writing several well-founded decisions, the judge may make a mistake in one decision due to work load or for some reason. As stated earlier, a higher court can always correct a mistake. However, if strict measures are taken personally against a bailiff, it causes damage to that bailiff, in addition to the embarrassment associated with it. We must remember that when we sit in constitutional courts, even we are prone to make mistakes. Therefore, personal criticism of judges or drawing conclusions about the behavior of judges when making decisions should be avoided.” the decision has been taken into account.

The court recalled that in 2002 it was noted in The case of all Indian judges that the ratio of judges to population in our judicial system should be 50 per million by 2007. However, we have not even reached the 25 per million ratio in 2024. “Meanwhile, the population and the number of lawsuits have increased significantly. Judges have to work under stress,” said the court.

Case: Sonu Agnihotri v. Chandra Shekhar and others

Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (SC) 910.

Click here to read the solution