Day 17 Arguments

Judicial Vacancies in the Lower Courts

October 24th 2019

Over the past year, the Court has been issuing directions to State Governments and High Courts to ensure that vacancies are filled and adequate infrastructure in judiciaries across India.

It has appointed four amici curiae to assist it in monitoring States:

  • Shyam Divan, responsible for Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and the North Eastern States
  • K.V. Vishwanathan, responsible for Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Kerala
  • Vijay Hansaria, responsible for Madhya Pradesh and the High Courts of Madras, Odisha, Patna and Punjab & Haryana
  • Gaurav Agrawal, responsible for Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tripura and Uttarakhand

Today, it directed each of the amici curiae to submit updated status reports on vacancies and infrastructure by the next hearing on 6 November 2019. It specified that the amici curiae may request the Registrar Generals of relevant High Courts to be present at the next hearing.