New Delhi, June 16: The Ministry of Law and Justice has written to chief justices of high courts and to the state governments asking them to fill up the existing 2,041 vacancies of judges and magistrates in district and subordinate courts. The Supreme Court had in its a judgement dated March 21 this year, directed state governments and high courts to fill up the posts, an official release said here adding the ongoing drive was to ensure compliance of the apex court's direction. On fast track courts it said, the ministry has so far notified 1334 such courts in various states adding they disposed off 40 per cent of the pending cases in a span of one and a half months.
Steps are being taken to set up 20 more fast track courts in Delhi and one in Chandigarh, it said.
The ministry also proposed to set up 32 family courts during the financial year 2003-04, the release said adding 50 per cent of expenditure for their construction has already been released. Government has also released Rs one crore each for upgrading computer network of high courts of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Madras to the level of Supreme Court, it added. Bureau Report