Manipur Bar Association Urges CJI To Raise High Court Judge Strength To 7 As 3,651 Cases Pend
The High Court Bar Association of Manipur (HCBAM) has appealed to Chief Justice of India Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai and Union Law & Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal to increase the sanctioned strength of judges at the Manipur High Court from five to seven, citing a backlog of 3,651 pending cases (3,241 civil and 410 criminal) as of December 31, 2024. The delegation sought immediate appointment to existing vacancies and argued that persistent under-staffing since the court’s inception in 2013 has slowed justice delivery; at present, the court functions with three judges against a sanctioned 4 puisne + 1 Chief Justice.
A rising stack of files, too few judges, and citizens waiting—sometimes for years—for their day in court. Manipur isn’t an outlier; it’s a case study. When the High Court Bar Association of Manipur (HCBAM) knocked on the doors of the CJI and the Union Law Minister to push the judge strength from 5 to 7, they weren’t being picky; they were describing what it takes to make the wheels of justice actually turn. The headline number—3,651 pending cases—isn’t just data; it’s the lived reality of litigants, lawyers, and a court system perpetually trying to do more with less.
FAQs
Q1. What exactly did the Manipur Bar Association request?
They asked the CJI and the Union Law Minister to fill existing vacancies immediately and to raise the sanctioned strength of the Manipur High Court from 5 to 7 judges to tackle backlog and restore timely hearings.
Q2. How many cases are pending, and what’s the split?
As of December 31, 2024, there were 3,651 pending cases, including 3,241 civil and 410 criminal matters.
Q3. What is the current sanctioned and working strength?
Sanctioned strength is 5 (4 puisne + 1 Chief Justice). Working strength is currently 3, which is why the Bar has flagged capacity concerns.
Q4. Who heads the Manipur High Court right now?
The court is presently led by Chief Justice K. Somashekar, with puisne judges including Justice A. Bimol Singh and Justice A. Guneshwar Sharma
Q5. Why not manage with the existing benches—does adding two judges really help?
Yes. Two more judges allow more benches, shorter cause lists, quicker interim orders, and specialized rosters, all of which reduce adjournments and cut pendency over time—especially when paired with smart listing and case-management practices. (Reasoned analysis.)
