Can 70 judges do work of 94? Top court judge flags workload at Bombay High Court

India Today

a day ago

Supreme Court judge Justice Dipankar Datta on Saturday urged judges of the Bombay High Court to reconsider the long working hours they put in, asking if 70 judges could do the work of 94.Addressing the judiciary in Mumbai, the former Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court warned that the intense workload could cause long-term personal harm, despite their noble service to society.advertisementJustice Datta noted that judges were devoting between 12 and 16 hours daily for judicial and administrative work, which he said was unsustainable and detrimental. He stressed that while their commitment is commendable, "you may be causing some harm to yourself in the future".
Pointing to a shortage in judicial appointments, he recalled that in 2013, the sanctioned strength of the Bombay High Court was raised from 75 to 94 under the National Court Management Systems recommendation. However, the court has barely reached the figure of 75 since, and today operates with around 68 to 70 judges."Do you think 68 to 70 judges can do the work of 94? You can't. In fact, you are doing a great disservice to yourself, your family, and to everyone who depends on you," he said.He cited a recent example where a judge delayed issuing an order for months due to the overwhelming workload. "You are not required to explain. We know the burden you carry. But please try to divide your time wisely," he added.Justice Datta stressed that the judiciary's well-being often goes unrecognised. "If anything happens to you, there will be sympathisers for a month, but after that, no one will remember your service," he said.He also revealed that the Chief Justice of India had sought his opinion on 15 to 16 names for judicial appointments to the Bombay High Court. Even if only 10 to 12 are appointed, the court will still fall short of the sanctioned strength. At a recent informal gathering attended by the CJI, Justice Datta suggested increasing the sanctioned strength from 94, calling it insufficient for the demands of the court.Justice Datta also raised two long-standing concerns shared by Maharashtra's judiciary: outdated limits on electricity and fuel allowances. He pointed out that the 10,000 units of electricity per judge were fixed decades ago, before the advent of common household appliances. 'That limit is no longer adequate in today's time,' he said, requesting an amendment.Similarly, he endorsed a proposal from the Aurangabad bench to shift from a monthly fuel cap of 200 litres to an annual cap of 2,400 litres, a change that wouldn't increase costs but would offer more flexibility. Both proposals, he said, were previously rejected but should now be reconsidered.advertisementJustice Datta expressed hope that Chief Justice BR Gavai would take action on these issues before his term concludes in November.- Ends