Supreme Court Suggests Judges Take Leave to Write Pending Judgments

Unique direction given to Jharkhand High Court judges with 61 cases still awaiting rulings

 

In a rare move, the Supreme Court on Friday suggested that judges of the Jharkhand High Court should consider taking leave to focus on writing their long-pending judgments.

A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice J. B. Pardiwala noted that several cases had been argued and reserved for orders but remained undecided, causing hardships to litigants awaiting justice. The Court pointed out that as of January 31, 2025, as many as 61 matters were still pending without final decisions.

 

The bench observed that judges could utilize their 10–12 week sanctioned leave to complete pending judgments, emphasizing that citizens’ right to timely decisions must not be compromised. “Judges today have considerable vacation time; they should use it to fulfill their judicial duties,” Justice Kant remarked.

 

Highlighting the urgency, the Court said such a backlog undermines public confidence in the judiciary. It directed the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court to ensure that the pending matters are resolved at the earliest.

The matter will be heard again next month, with the Supreme Court seeking progress updates on the delivery of judgments reserved as far back as 2023.