Long-standing backlog of cases has been a big challenge before the Indian judiciary. In September last year, it was reported that there were nearly 62,000 cases pending in various High Courts, which were more than 30 years old, including three awaiting disposal since 1952
A lifetime passes, new generations are born, but cases linger, and sometimes even the deceased do not get justice.
The issue of pending cases is not limited to criminal matters; it extends to family law as well. A notable example emerged recently from the Gujarat High Court, which granted a divorce to a man in his 60s after an arduous 43-year matrimonial struggle.
The case involves a couple from Ahmedabad who got married in 1982. Their marital life appeared stable in the first year, but tensions surfaced later, largely on account of financial disputes highlighted by the husband, who claimed that his wife constantly demanded excessive monetary support.
The court concluded that there was essentially nothing left in the marriage except mutual resentment, underscoring the emotional toll of their prolonged separation. The couple had been living separately for over 25 years.
The court recognised that their son, born from this marriage, was now almost 40 years old and had established his own family, illustrating the generational impact of such drawn-out disputes.
This chronicle encapsulates just one of the many stories within the Indian judiciary’s vast backlog of cases, emphasising the pressing need for reform and resolution in the system
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