Sunday, March 13 2005 12:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Scotching the widespread perception about huge backlogs, the Supreme Court has set a record of sorts by disposing of 55,530 cases in 2004, a 16 per cent increase over 2003.

"Disposal of cases in the Supreme Court rose by 16 per cent in the year 2004 as against 47,979 in the year 2003. 55,530 cases were disposed of in the year, 2004," according to apex court records.

Further, the National Judicial Academy (NJA), Bhopal, formed on the initiative of the Supreme Court, attained full membership of the International Organisation for Judicial Training and has attracted judges from neighbouring countries as well for its training programmes.

The academy, in association with Untied Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will study the barriers in accessing justice through courts for disadvantaged sections of society in seven High Court jurisdictions, the Activity Report of NJA said.

With networking and capacity building for better education and training being one of the goals of the NJA, the academy is organising a five-day programme from March 14-19 to evolve a strategy to tackle backlogs in courts.

"A Commonwealth-wide Judicial Educators Conference on the theme of reducing delay and arrears is being organised," the NJA report said, adding it was being sponsored by Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute, Canada.

With 2005 marked as the 'Year of Judicial Excellence', NJA, with the help of Registrar Generals of various High Courts, has prepared a series of strategic action plans for judicial reforms directed at reducing pendency and improving quality of service in courts.