The Supreme Court, on Friday, dismissed a plea that sought a time-bound resolution of an execution petition languishing in the Bombay High Court, pointing to the substantial workload burdening its judges. The bench, comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih, highlighted the acute shortage of judges, with only 64 of the sanctioned 92 positions currently filled.
In their ruling, the justices underscored the impracticality of mandating expedited proceedings given each judge’s heavy caseload, often exceeding 100 matters. “Considering the fact that the judges of the Bombay High Court are overburdened, such a direction cannot be issued especially when there may be older execution applications which are pending,” the bench stated.
The plea in question was an appeal against the prolonged delay in handling an execution petition, which the petitioner claimed had been adjourned multiple times. While the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal for a directive ensuring swift disposal, it granted the petitioner the freedom to request an expeditious hearing directly from the high court.
