Allahabad High Court Blames Police, Staff Shortages for Case Delays

The Allahabad High Court on May 7 blamed prolonged delays in criminal case disposals on systemic failures in Uttar Pradesh, including police negligence, insufficient judicial staff, and flawed forensic reporting. Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal stated that while the 'tareekh pe tareekh' dialogue from a 1993 Sunny Deol film reflects public frustration over judicial delays, responsibility lies not with judges but with the state machinery.

Justice Deshwal noted that judicial officers in UP face challenges including lack of personal security, absence of police cooperation in executing court orders, and incomplete FSL reports. He highlighted that threats against judges are common, yet most lack personal security officers, unlike their counterparts in Punjab and Haryana. The court observed that such conditions frustrate honest judicial officers and hinder conviction of hardened criminals.

Citing data from the Association for Democratic Reforms, the court said 49% of Uttar Pradesh ministers face criminal charges, with 44% in serious cases, enabled by case pendency. The judge pointed out that district police chiefs often skip monthly monitoring meetings, undermining accountability.

The court directed all district police chiefs and police commissioners to personally attend the monthly monitoring meetings to address lapses in court process execution and investigative failures. It emphasized that the state government must provide infrastructure, staffing, and police support to ensure timely justice. The court will review compliance in upcoming hearings.