50 mn cases pending in Indian courts, to go up if no action taken: Rijiju

The Union Law and Justice minister also expressed concern about the unaffordability of legal professionals for the common people.

Nearly five crore cases are pending in Indian courts and the number will go up further if no action was taken, Union Minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju said here on Saturday.

Speaking at the first convocation of Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU) in Aurangabad, the minister also expressed concern about the unaffordability of legal professionals for the common people.

"The quality of the Indian judiciary is well-known across the world. Two days ago, I was in London where I met people connected to the judiciary there. They all have similar thoughts and high regard for the Indian judiciary. The judgments of the Supreme Court are referred to quite often in the UK," the minister said.

Expressing concern over the pendency of cases in the country, Rijiju said, "The pendency of cases when I took over as law minister was slightly less than four crore. Today, it is close to five crore. It is a matter of great worry for all of us."

This situation did not come about because of any deficiency in the delivery of justice or lack of support from the government, but "the pendency is bound to increase if some drastic action is not taken," the law minister said.

"In the UK, every judge delivers a judgments in maximum of three to four cases in a day. But in Indian courts, every judge on an average presides over 40 to 50 cases every day. Now I realise that they sit extra time...people expect quality judgment. Judges are also human beings," Rijiju said.

Referring to comments about judges in the media, the minister said, "Sometimes, I see comments on social media and print media about judges. If you really see the amount of work a judge has to put in, it unimaginable and unthinkable for all other countries."

"In the age of social media, everyone has an opinion without going into the depth of the issue. People jump to conclusions and pass personal judgments on judges," he said.

He also expressed concern about the fees charged by lawyers.

Poor people find it difficult to afford good lawyers, and that should not be the reason for denial of justice to anyone, he said.

"I know many lawyers in Delhi who are unaffordable for the common man. Just because somebody has a better access to the system, his fees should not go up. The playground should be open and equal for everyone," Rijiju said.

A mediation bill with certain changes will be passed in the coming monsoon session of Parliament and it will open up more opportunities for budding lawyers, the minister said.