14K cases that warrant less than 3-yr jail disposed of in 42 days by special HC bench

THANKS to the innovative idea of the Supreme Court aimed at effectively reducing the pendency of cases piling up in the district judiciary, a dedicated bench of the Madras High Court has disposed of about 13,625 cases, which warrant punishment under 3 years imprisonment, within a short span of 42 working days.

- R SIVAKUMAR @ Chennai

Disposal of such a whopping number of cases was achieved through a pilot project carried out in the Madras HC as per the directions of the SC and the guidance of the special committee comprising justices of the SC and HC. Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy headed the dedicated bench.

The cases are related to accidents, theft, hurt, protests, mother cases ended in acquittal, long pending warrants/ summons, Prohibition Act cases, illegal lottery, mines and minerals, gaming, immoral trafficking, copyright, essential commodities, matrimonial and other miscellaneous cases. The hearing of the dedicated bench commenced on August 19 and ended on October 29, 2025.