–Backlog of 40,535 cases to be reduced by providing video link facility for lawyers between principal seat, registries
ISLAMABAD: Taking leverage of cyber regime, the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday decided to introduce e-court system at its principal seat of Islamabad to provide video link facility for lawyers’ arguments from four branch registries of the country.
While deliberating to minimise the backlog of 40,535 cases in the apex court, a Full Court meeting was held under the chair of Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa which resolved that special benches should be constituted to deal with different categories of cases.
During the meeting, it was unanimously decided that the adjournments should be discouraged whereas appeals should be fixed in a chronological order and reviews must be fixed in the next week subject to availability of author judges.
The Full Court also discussed agenda regarding video link connectivity between the principal seat in Islamabad and its branch registries. It was resolved that the e-court system be established between Islamabad and branch registries through the application of latest video link connectivity so as to facilitate lawyers to argue their cases from branch registries by availing this facility which can minimise the backlog.
Deliberating on the issue of institution and disposal of cases, the Full Court noted that during the period from September 01, 2018 to December 31, 2018, the court decided 6,342 cases against the institution of 6,407 cases, leaving a total pendency of 40,535 cases.
The Full Court showed satisfaction over the institution and disposal rate and discussed different strategies to bring improvements in case management for the smooth functioning of the court. It also underlined the need to categorise the cases to diminish the backlog and to make untiring efforts to improve the dispensation of justice.
The Full Court meeting held in Islamabad was attended by Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh, Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Maqbool Baqar, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Faisal Arab, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi and SC Registrar Arbab Muhammad Arif
On the occasion, Chief Justice Khosa thanked the judges and expected healthy working relationship from the judges for cause of administration of justice, adding that he apprised the participants that the purpose of the meeting was to review the performance of the Supreme Court in terms of dispensation of justice and disposal of cases and to deliberate on the issues and matters pertaining to smooth functioning of the court.
Chief Justice Khosa appreciated the colleague judges’ commitment for the dispensation of justice to public at large so as to redress their grievances and to provide relief to them. The meeting also discussed different administrative and judicial issues relating to the internal working of the court.
