The Supreme Court expressed concern over the inefficiency in filing and listing cases in certain High Courts, particularly the Allahabad High Court, where the process appeared to have broken down entirely. The court highlighted that litigants were left in uncertainty, as cases were not being listed or processed effectively.
A Bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh made these remarks while hearing an application from Abbas Ansari, son of the late politician-turned-gangster Mukhtar Ansari. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Abbas, argued that despite a Supreme Court directive for an expedited hearing, no meaningful progress had been made on Abbas's plea for interim protection against a government order declaring a piece of land as evacuee property.
Sibal noted that other co-owners of the property had received interim relief from the Allahabad High Court, but Abbas's application was yet to be addressed. Following these submissions, the Supreme Court directed that the matter be listed for an early hearing in the Allahabad High Court and ordered all parties to maintain the status quo regarding the disputed site.
Earlier, Sibal had argued that the Uttar Pradesh government had taken possession of the land and begun constructing houses under the Awas Yojana, despite the dispute. The Supreme Court had previously urged the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court to prioritize Abbas's application for interim relief, emphasizing the need for a timely hearing.
In the Union Budget for 2024-25, the Indian government allocated ₹1,500 crore for Phase III of the e-Courts project, which focuses on digitizing court records and improving the efficiency of the judicial system. Additionally, ₹110.24 crore was set aside specifically for 26 High Courts to support the ongoing e-Courts initiative. .
Abbas Ansari’s petition stated that the disputed property, located in Lucknow, was initially purchased by his grandfather in 2004. It was later gifted to his wife, who bequeathed it to Abbas and his brother Umar Ansari. In 2020, a Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Lucknow declared the plot as evacuee property and dispossessed the Ansari brothers. Their subsequent writ petition seeking relief from this order remained unresolved, with no interim stay granted in their favor, unlike other affected individuals.
Separately, another Supreme Court Bench, led by Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, expressed shock over a bail application in a murder case that had been pending in the Allahabad High Court for over four years.
The Bench ordered the Supreme Court registry to forward its observations to the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court for consideration, underscoring the need for urgent reforms in the handling of cases.
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