The Bench found that the recruitment process was under way for only 100 vacancies in Delhi, which has over 200 vacancies.

The move taking suo motu cognisance of the chronically ailing condition of the lower judiciary was only recently highlighted by Chief Justice Gogoi as one which required immediate attention.

More than three crore cases are pending in the lower courts.

Five-page order

In a five-page order earlier, the Supreme Court had recorded that there were a total of 22,036 posts in the district and subordinate judiciary, ranging from district judges to junior civil judges, across the States.

It said 5,133 out of the 22,036 posts were vacant.

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