The Advocates' Association Bengaluru (AAB) has written to Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai requesting that the Collegium headed by him take up judges' appointments to Karnataka High Court without delay. .The letter said that Karnataka High Court judges are suffering from heavy workload due to the "stagnation of appointment" of judges to the High Court."Due to years of virtual stagnation in appointments there is no addition to the depleting strength of judges in Karnataka High Court. The present sitting judges of High Court in all 3 benches are working overtime due to erosion of strength and piling up of cases. There are virtually thousands of old civil matters which are pending since years," highlighted the letter..The letter further stated that due to the heavy workload and despite judges working overtime, even 'B group' matters on the writ side are not being listed leaving litigants waiting indefinitely..The bar body exhorted the CJI to take up pending judicial appointments to Karnataka."We also request you sir as the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India to issue directions to the Hon'ble Karnataka High Court Chief Justice and the collegium of Judges of Karnataka to immediately fill up vacancies which have arisen till now and to propose the names of judges with broad social representation for all sections of communities and to take up such appointments as swiftly as possible," the letter said.The Karnataka High Court is currently functioning with only 45 judges against a sanctioned strength of 62 leaving 17 positions vacant..[Read Letter]
