Date:24/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/24/stories/2008112455770100.htm

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Bangalore tops in pending court cases

B.S. Ramesh

The city also records largest number of cases filed annually

Courts in Belgaum have the second highest number of pending cases
13,13,195 cases are pending trial in Karnataka

BANGALORE: Bangalore has earned the dubious distinction of not only recording the highest number of cases to be filed annually in court, but also having the highest number of pending cases for any city in the State. Of the 13,13,195 cases pending in different courts in Karnataka, courts in Bangalore city alone account for 4,87,510 cases.

This means that nearly 37 per cent of the pending cases are in various stages of trial in the city.

If the cases that are registered and are pending trial in Bangalore Rural district are also clubbed with the cases of Bangalore city, nearly 45 per cent of all cases, civil and criminal, in the State, are being registered in these two districts alone.

According to statistics available with the Karnataka High Court, Bangalore city tops in the number of criminal and civil cases pending in the State. The city’s courts — the Metropolitan, Traffic, Small Causes, Special and Fast Track Courts, and the District and Sessions courts together, had 97,360 criminal cases as on November 1, 2008 and 3,90,150 civil cases. Courts in Belgaum have the second highest number of pending cases with 48,471 criminal and 25,719 civil cases, and Mysore district stands third with 37,382 criminal and 24,078 civil cases. Other districts to follow are Dakshina Kannada: Mangalore (20,581 + 35,795 = 56,376), Tumkur (29,793 + 15,457 = 45,260), Mandya (23,541 + 15,588 = 39,129), Hassan (21,574 + 17,247 = 38,821), Uttara Kannada: Karwar (17,676 + 17,140 = 34,816) and Dharwad (19,144 + 13,677 = 32,821)

Fewer cases

Koppal district has the smallest number of 8,265 criminal cases and 3,506 civil cases pending in courts. Gadag, with 7,329 criminal and 3,361 civil cases, and Kodagu, with 4,907 criminal and 6,270 civil cases are among the districts with fewer pending cases. Bangalore city also holds the distinction of having the highest number of money suits (16,483), injunction suits (12,746), cases of Prevention of Corruption Act (480), cases under Negotiable Instruments Act (86,074) and cases involving petty offences (1,58,001).