The Delhi High Court has announced that it will implement a “comprehensive and integrated” action plan to reduce the number of cases pending before it for several decades..A model plan for all High Courts and trial courts was formulated by a Supreme Court committee headed by Justice Abhay S Oka, which raised concerns over the increase in pendency of cases filed several decades ago.On the lines of the model plan, the Delhi High Court has evolved a comprehensive and integrated action plan for reduction of arrears..As per the details released by the High Court, it will prioritise cases pending for 10, 20 or 30 years, and the matters would be distributed fairly among different benches. Tools like Artificial Intelligence (AI) would be used for defect rectification and summarisation of clustering matters involving common questions of law. Case management hearings will also be conducted to ensure faster progression of cases. Also envisioned are strategies to weed out infructuous matters.Alternative dispute resolution methods will be implemented and regular reports will also be generated to monitor the progress of these cases, the High Court said. The suggestions of stakeholders like bar associations will also be sought to minimise procedural delays..This plan will be implemented in three phases. .Phase I.Under this phase, from March to June 2025, a list of targeted cases will be prepared and placed before the Chief Justice for distribution to different benches.A case flow management hearing will then be held by the registrar (in original side matters) and the Court (in all the other matters) in the presence of the counsel and parties. After this, dates will be fixed for the hearing and disposal of these cases within a specific time."After approval of the Chief Justice, every Thursday after lunch hours shall be designated for hearing and disposal of targeted cases, which shall be duly communicated to the Bar Members and other stakeholders," the notice states.It added,"A team of trainee judicial officers under Case Flow Management Branch (CFM) shall be constituted on approval of Chief Justice of Delhi High Court for identification of cases which have become infructuous in Delhi High Court. The said team shall file its report on weekly basis which shall be placed before the CFM committee for appropriate directions."Physical verification of these cases will be conducted during the summer vacation.Further, a data unit will be constituted as the Command Centre for efficient and accurate data management, data integration and data solutions..Phase II.In Phase II, from July 2025 to June 2026, the judges will endeavour to dispose of cases pending for more than 20 years. The targeted cases will be heard as per the dates fixed in the case flow management sheets, and no adjournments shall be allowed on dates fixed.The 10 oldest targeted matters of each bench will be reflected in the advance list of each Court continuously. With the disposal of each such old case, the Registry will substitute the disposed case with the next oldest targeted matter of that bench.A quarterly report regarding regarding implementation of the programme will be placed before the Chief Justice for overall monitoring.“The Chief Justice shall hold a quarterly meeting with the Chairperson of Case Flow Management Committee to suggest ways and means to increase disposal of targeted cases,” the High Court has said. .Phase III.Finally, in Phase III - from June 2026 to May 2027 - the Court will try to dispose of cases which are more than 10 years old. .[Read the Action Plan]
