Guwahati, Feb. 20 (PTI): Assam government Wednesday informed the state Assembly that over 2.9 lakh cases are pending in lower courts across the state and it is mulling to set up 33 fast track courts to try heinous crimes.
Giving a written reply to a query by AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam, Law and Justice Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya said the number of pending cases in lower courts have gone up from 2,76,520 in 2017 to 2,91,960 the next year.
A total of 3,26,931 new cases were registered last year and 3,11,150 cases were disposed of, he said.
"The government is considering to set up 33 fast track courts to handle cases of rape as well as murder of women and children," Bhattacharya said.
He also informed the Assembly that a total of 70 posts of judges in various lower courts are lying vacant at this moment.
Bhattacharya said, out of the sanctioned posts of 24 judges in the high court, four are vacant.
