Calcutta High Court to combat docket backlog with special summer sittings

The problems surrounding the backlog sound rather extreme to American ears. First, the summer session is designed to address cases prior to January 1, 2000 — seventeen-and-a-half years ago. By contrast, federal civil cases in the U.S. are flagged after being in the system for three years. Second, the backlog has been exacerbated by the Calcutta court’s vacancy crisis — only 35 judges are sitting, although 72 are authorized.

The bar association has opposed the summer session, on the grounds that “lawyers also need some respite during the grueling summer.”  No word on the opinion of the litigants who cases have been pending for nearly two decades.