In a significant development, the Delhi government granted approval on November 14 for the establishment of ten additional family courts within the capital city, augmenting the existing count from 21 to 31.
The decision, as announced in a press release by Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena, marks the realization of a proposal initiated four years ago in October 2019. The new family courts aim to address the longstanding issue of cases languishing for over a decade.
The expansion necessitates the appointment of ten judges to preside over these courts, accompanied by the creation of seventy-one additional posts. These positions include roles such as Reader, Steno/Senior PA, Steno/PA, Ahlmad, Assistant Ahlmad, Naib Nazir, Orderly, and Staff Car Driver.
According to the press release, the approval aligns with a Full Court recommendation from 2019. The primary objective of this move is to alleviate the backlog of cases, particularly those entangled in matrimonial disputes for five to ten years.
The press release sheds light on the pressing issue, revealing that approximately 46,000 cases await resolution in Family Courts across Delhi. Notably, the caseload varies, with the lowest pending cases reported at 1321 with the Principal Judge, Family Court, Saket, and the highest at 3654 with Family Court, Rohini. The document emphasizes that Family Court HQ, Dwarka, registers an average of 150-200 cases daily, with roughly 80% of the staff operating in a redirected capacity from various other departments.
