ರಾಜ್ಯ ಹೈಕೋರ್ಟ್ ನ ಕಾರ್ಯಾಡಳಿತವನ್ನು ಆಕ್ಷೇಪಿಸಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಅದರಲ್ಲಿ ಮಧ್ಯಪ್ರವೇಶಿಸಿ ಸರಿಪಡಿಸುವಂತೆ ಕೋರಿ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ವಕೀಲರ ಸಂಘದ ಮಾಜಿ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷ ಎ.ಪಿ. ರಂಗನಾಥ್ ಸುಪ್ರೀಂಕೋರ್ಟ್ ನ ಮುಖ್ಯ ನ್ಯಾಯಮೂರ್ತಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಪತ್ರ ಬರೆದಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ನವೆಂಬರ್ 28 ರಂದು ಸಿಜೆಐ ಸಂಜೀವ್ ಖನ್ನಾ ಅವರಿಗೆ 5 ಪುಟಗಳ ಪತ್ರ ಬರೆಯಲಾಗಿದ್ದು, ತಕ್ಷಣವೇ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಹೈಕೋರ್ಟ್ ನ ಆಡಳಿತ ಕ್ರಮಗಳನ್ನು ಪರಿಶೀಲಿಸುವಂತೆ ಹಾಗೂ ಸರಿಪಡಿಸಲು ಅಗತ್ಯ ಕ್ರಮಗಳನ್ನು ಕೈಗೊಳ್ಳುವಂತೆ ಕೋರಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ಪತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ, ರಾಜ್ಯ ಹೈಕೋರ್ಟ್ ನ ಮುಖ್ಯ ನ್ಯಾಯಮೂರ್ತಿಗಳು ಸೂಕ್ತ ರೀತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ತಮ್ಮ ಕಾರ್ಯ ನಿರ್ವಹಿಸುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ. ಬೆಳಗ್ಗೆ 10.30 ಕ್ಕೆ ಬದಲಿಗೆ ಮುಖ್ಯ ನ್ಯಾಯಮೂರ್ತಿಗಳು 11.30ಕ್ಕೆ ಕೋರ್ಟ್ ಕಲಾಪ ಆರಂಭಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಹಲವು ದಿನ ಮಧ್ಯಾಹ್ನಕ್ಕೇ ಕೋರ್ಟ್ ಕಲಾಪಗಳನ್ನು ಮುಕ್ತಾಗೊಳಿಸಿದ್ದಿದೆ.
ಮುಖ್ಯ ನ್ಯಾಯಮೂರ್ತಿಗಳ ಪೀಠದಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಚಾರಣೆಯಾಗುತ್ತಿರುವ ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಹಿತಾಸಕ್ತಿ ಅರ್ಜಿಗಳ ವಿಚಾರಣೆ ವಿಳಂಬವಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ. ವಿಶೇಷವಾಗಿ ಪರಿಸರ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣೆ, ಮಾಲಿನ್ಯ ನಿಯಂತ್ರಣ, ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಕ್ಕೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿದ ವಿಷಯಗಳ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ಪ್ರಮುಖ ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಹಿತಾಸಕ್ತಿಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿದ ಅರ್ಜಿಗಳ ವಿಚಾರಣೆ ತ್ವರಿತವಾಗಿ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ.
ಹೈಕೋರ್ಟ್ ರಿಜಿಸ್ಟ್ರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ ಮತ್ತು ಭ್ರಷ್ಟಾಚಾರವಿದ್ದು ದಾಖಲಿಸಿದ ಪ್ರಕರಣಗಳು ತಿಂಗಳುಗಳಾದರೂ ಪಟ್ಟಿಯಾಗುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ. ಪ್ರಭಾವಿಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಸ್ಥಿತಿವಂತರ ಪ್ರಕರಣಗಳಿಗೆ ಆದ್ಯತೆ ನೀಡಲಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಪ್ರಕರಣಗಳನ್ನು ಪಟ್ಟಿ ಮಾಡುವ ವಿಚಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಸಮಾನತೆ ಮತ್ತು ಪಾರದರ್ಶಕತೆ ಕೊರತೆ ಉಂಟಾಗಿದೆ.
ಇನ್ನು ಹೈಕೋರ್ಟ್ ನ್ಯಾಯಮೂರ್ತಿಗಳ ರೋಸ್ಟರ್ ಬದಲಾಗಿ ತಿಂಗಳುಗಳೇ ಕಳೆದಿವೆ. ಮುಖ್ಯ ನ್ಯಾಯಮೂರ್ತಿಗಳು ಹೈಕೋರ್ಟ್ ಆಡಳಿತವನ್ನು ಸೂಕ್ತವಾಗಿ ನಿರ್ವಹಿಸುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ. ಇದರಿಂದಾಗಿ ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕರಿಗೆ, ದಾವೆದಾರರಿಗೆ ಅನಾನುಕೂಲವಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಹೀಗಾಗಿ, ಕೂಡಲೇ ಮಧ್ಯಪ್ರವೇಶಿಸಿ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಯನ್ನು ಸರಿಪಡಿಸಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ಸಿಜೆಐಗೆ ಬರೆದಿರುವ ಪತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಎಪಿಆರ್ ಕೋರಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ಎಪಿಆರ್ ಪತ್ರ:
Respected Sir,
Sub: Request for Intervention Regarding Concerns in the Functioning of the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court
I begin by extending my heartfelt congratulations to Your Lordship on your appointment as the Chief Justice of India. It is indeed a momentous occasion for the judiciary, and I am confident that under your esteemed leadership, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India will continue to uphold the principles of justice, fairness, and equity.
I am, however, constrained to bring to your attention certain concerns regarding the functioning of the Karnataka High Court, which have caused significant challenges for litigants and Advocates alike. These concerns have reached a point where I feel it necessary to address them to Your Lordship, as the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, in the hope that timely intervention may help mitigate the difficulties faced by the public in their pursuit of justice.
One of the foremost issues pertains to the repeated delays in the commencement of court sittings, as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court has been arriving late for hearings. Although the Court is scheduled to start at 10:30 am, the Chief Justice of Karnataka commences the sitting only at 11:30 am, and concludes the sitting by afternoon on several days. This has led to disruptions in the judicial process, causing considerable delays in the disposal of cases and preventing the completion of the daily list of cases. The resulting backlog has placed an undue burden on litigants and Advocates, causing distress and hindering the access to timely justice.
In addition to the issue of delays, it has been noted that the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court has retained a number of significant subject matters within his own roster, thus these vital subjects are not being adjudicated in a timely manner. The subjects in question include, Writ Petitions (Public Interest Litigations), which involve critical matters of public welfare and require immediate attention. Additionally, matters related to the Environment Protection Act, Pollution Control Laws, and Writ Petitions arising from laws related to environmental protection are also under his purview, which has further delayed their adjudication. Writ Appeals filed from 2023 onwards, Civil Contempt Petitions, and Writ Petitions pertaining to Education, Medical Admissions, Fee Structures, and Seat Matrices in professional courses, are all significant matters that have been impacted by these delays.
The concentration of such crucial cases in the hands of the Chief Justice has further compounded the backlog, and despite the importance of these cases, the time required for their hearing and disposal has resulted in prolonged waiting periods for litigants. This state of affairs has severely affected the timely delivery of justice, and I respectfully submit that the situation demands urgent attention.
I also regret to inform Your Lordship that the Registry of the Karnataka High Court is, unfortunately, in a state of disarray and is marred by corruption. Despite several months having passed since cases were filed, many matters remain unlisted, causing undue delay and hardship to the litigants. Disturbingly, it has been observed that cases involving affluent and influential individuals are often given priority, with hearings scheduled on the very same day they are filed. This unequal treatment and lack of transparency in the listing process are deeply concerning and represent a serious shortcoming in the functioning of the Karnataka Judiciary.
It is also brought to Your Lordship’s attention that the rosters allotted to the Judges of the Karnataka High Court have not been modified for several months, resulting in a lack of flexibility and responsiveness to the evolving caseload. Additionally, the allocation of Judges to various benches is not being carried out in an equitable manner, which has further contributed to inefficiencies and an imbalance in the distribution of judicial responsibilities. This practice undermines the fair and effective functioning of the Court, to the detriment of both litigants and the judiciary itself.
Given the gravity of these concerns, I humbly request Your Lordship to kindly intervene in this matter. Your esteemed intervention would help in ensuring that the functioning of the Karnataka High Court is streamlined and that litigants are not left to suffer unduly due to procedural delays. It would also go a long way in restoring the public’s confidence in the judicial system and ensuring that justice is served in a timely and effective manner.
It is also brought to Your Lordship’s attention that the rosters allotted to the judges of the Karnataka High Court have not been modified for several months, resulting in a lack of flexibility and responsiveness to the evolving caseload. Additionally, the allocation of judges to various benches is not being carried out in an equitable manner, which has further contributed to inefficiencies and an imbalance in the distribution of judicial responsibilities. This practice undermines the fair and effective functioning of the Court, to the detriment of both litigants and the judiciary itself.
It is with great regret that I must inform Your Lordship that the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court has not been able to uphold the requisite standards in the dispensation of justice. Additionally, there has been a failure in the administration of the Karnataka High Court, which has further impacted the efficiency and effectiveness of its functioning. Given the size and complexity of the Karnataka High Court, it is an immediate imperative that the office of the Chief Justice be held by a person who is efficient, capable and dynamic.
I trust that Your Lordship will give due consideration to the matters raised in this letter and take the necessary steps to address the concerns at the earliest, for the benefit of the public at large who rely on the judiciary for redressal of their grievances.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Regards,
A.P. Ranganatha, Former President, Advocates’ Association, Bengaluru.