Although the number of pending cases has seen a decline since 2021, by the end of last year, the Judiciary in the country is still left with more than 1,600 pending cases. This is according to the 2023 Annual Judiciary Report released earlier this week. Of the total pending cases, more than 11 per cent of the cases have remained unresolved for more than a year.
According to the Judiciary’s Media and Communication Unit, cases remain pending when certain cases require thorough investigation and fact-finding processes such as the use of forensic reports and verification of signatures or thumb impressions.
Moreover, parties involved in civil cases seeking adjournments of proceedings and absconding legal proceedings are also some of the factors. The Judiciary also said some courts experience challenges due to the huge number of incoming cases.
However, the number of cases on the pendency list has decreased in the last three years. According to the Annual Judiciary Report, 2,873 cases were pending with the Judiciary in 2020. However, since 2021, the number of pending cases has decreased.
In 2021, the number dropped to 1806 cases while in 2022, the number of pending cases reached 1,779.
And in 2023, the Judiciary managed to resolve 158 cases from the pendency lists.
The Judiciary’s Media and Communication Unit attributes the decrease in number to improved responsiveness and proactiveness of judiciary personnel.
The unit also says that strategic mechanisms such as the Guideline on Expeditious Adjudication Proceedings 2022 and e-litigation have boosted efficiency and provided equitable access to justice.
Meanwhile, the Judiciary is seeing thousands of new cases every year. In 2023, of 9,837 new cases registered, 7,549 were civil cases while 1,692 were criminal cases.
The report states that besides resolving both new and pending cases, the courts across the country are engaged in hearing and deciding miscellaneous matters, which include both registered and dismissed cases.
Kinzang Lhaden
Edited by Sangay Chezom
