Appointment of retired judges as ad-hoc judges in High Courts

Appointment of retired judges as ad-hoc judges in High Courts

Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – Constitution; Judiciary

In news

• The Supreme Court cleared the way for appointment of retired judges as ad-hoc judges in High Courts (HCs) under Article 224A of the Constitution to deal with mounting backlog of cases.

• Around 57 lakh cases in HCs are pending
• This will be applicable for two to three years to clear the backlog.

Important value additions 

Article 224A 

• It deals with appointment of ad-hoc judges in High Courts.
• It is used rarely 
• It says “the Chief Justice of a High Court for any State may at any time, with the previous consent of the President, request any person who has held the office of a Judge of that Court or of any other High Court to sit and act as a Judge of the High Court for that State”.