National Courts of Appeal

National Courts of Appeal

Part of: Prelims and GS-II – Polity 

Context Attorney General of India (AGI) K.K. Venugopal argued on the Constitution Day, for the revival of a 11-year-old proposal to set up National Courts of Appeal in four regions of the country.

Key Takeaways from AGI Statements

• Intermediate appellate Courts: Attorney General said four ‘Courts of Appeal’ with 15 judges each could act as intermediate appellate courts between the State High Courts and the Supreme Court.
• Utility of such Courts: They would absorb matrimonial disputes, rent control cases and such like which burden the Supreme Court, adding to pendency. The judgments of these courts of appeal would be final.
• Increase in Judges Strength: These courts would also mean we are adding 60 judges who would be taking over these cases. Pendency would be cut down to a very great extent. 
• Unburden Supreme Court: Such intermediate court of appeals would unburden the Supreme Court, which could focus on interpreting constitutional questions of law, references, death sentence cases.
• Better Jurisprudence: Supreme Court judges could hear cases leisurely, read and write better judgments with time on their hands when their work load is decreased.
• Chances of Rationalising SC Strength: In fact, the Supreme Court would not need 34 judges. Just 15 would be ample. These judges of the Supreme Court could sit in three Constitution Benches.
• Enhanced Access to Justice: It is noted that cases remain pending in the Supreme Court for 10 years. It would have reached the Supreme Court after spending a decade each at the trial and high court levels.