In a bid to quickly resolve the cheque bounce cases, the Supreme Court of India on Thursday was directed to set up special courts in four states and one union territory.
There is a large number of pending cases related to cheque bounces in Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. Therefore the apex court directed the constitution of a special court with a retired judge in these states and UT starting September 1.
A three-judge bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao, B R Gavai, and S Ravindra Bhat said the special courts under the Negotiable Instruments Act (NI), would be set up in the national capital and four other states.
“We have incorporated the suggestions of the amicus with respect to the setting up of the pilot courts and we have given the timelines also. It is to begin on September 1, 2022 onwards. The secretary-general of this court shall ensure that a copy of the present order is directly communicated to the registrar general of the said five high courts, which should put it before the chief justices for immediate action,” the bench said.
The top court incorporated the suggestion of the amicus curiae that five districts in each of the above States, where cases under the NI Act are high, can be selected and one court in each such district be established.
The apex court directed its secretary general to communicate the order to the registrar general of the high courts of these states while directing them to file an affidavit by July 21, 2022 on compliance.
The amicus had suggested having one court in one district with a retired judge as a pilot project.
The matter will now be heard on July 26.
The top court in March 2020 had taken cognizance of the humongous pendency of cheque bounce cases and had come came out with the directions to ensure speedy disposal of such matters, which stood at 35.16 lakh as of December 31, 2019, out of a total of 2.31 crore pending criminal cases in the country.
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