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20 judges per 10 lakh population is alarmingly low: Chief Justice

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Chief Justice of India (CJI) N.V. Ramana on Saturday said it is only the judicial process that is adversarial, and not the judges or their judgments, and also pointed out that 20 judges per 10 lakh population was alarmingly low.

The CJI emphasized that policy making is not the court’s domain, but if a citizen moves, the courts cannot say no.

He made the remarks while addressing the 11th joint conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices.

“Please be generous in creating more posts and filling the same, so that our judge-to-population ratio is comparable to advanced democracies. As per sanctioned strength, we have just around 20 judges per 10 lakh population, which is alarmingly low,” he said.

The conference was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State S.P. Baghel, Supreme Court judges, High Court Chief Justices and Chief Ministers.

CJI Ramana said that as of today, out of 1,104 sanctioned posts of high court judges, there are 388 vacancies, and out of 180 recommendations, 126 appointments have been made for various High Court.

He added that 50 proposals are still awaiting approval by the Centre and the High Court have sent around 100 names to the Union government, which are yet to reach the apex court.

“When we last met in 2016, the sanctioned strength of judicial officers in the country was 20,811. Now, it is 24,112, which is an increase of 16 per cent in six years. On the other hand, in the corresponding period, pendency in district courts has gone up from 2 crore 65 lakhs to 4 crore 11 lakhs, which is an increase of 54.64 per cent. This data shows how inadequate the increase in the sanctioned strength is,” the CJI said.

He pointed out that decisions of the courts were not implemented by the government for years, which resulted in contempt petitions, which is a new category of burden.

He added that deliberate inactions by the governments, despite judicial pronouncements, are not good for the health of democracy.

“Please remember, it is only the judicial process that is adversarial. Not the judges or their judgments. We are merely discharging our constitutionally assigned role. Judgments are meant for delivering justice and should be seen as such.

“While discharging our duties, we all must be mindful of the ‘Lakshman Rekha’. The judiciary would never come in the way of governance, if it is in accordance with law. We share your anxiety and concern regarding the welfare of the people.

“The judiciary is also confronted with the issue of the executive willingly transferring the burden of decision making to it. Although policy making is not our domain, but, if a citizen comes to the court with a prayer to address his grievance, the courts cannot say no,” the CJI further said.

Justice Ramana further stressed that the 140-crore population of the country is bound to test its judiciary, and no other constitutional court in the world hears such a wide range of issues in such large numbers.

Citing factors for docket explosion in India, the CJI said: “If a tehsildar acts upon a grievance of a farmer regarding land survey, or a ration card, the farmer would not think of approaching the court. If a municipal authority or a gram panchayat discharges its duties properly, the citizens need not look to courts.”

He further added that if revenue authorities acquire land through due process of law, the courts would not be burdened by land disputes and these cases account for 66 per cent of the pendency.

Justice Ramana said if police investigations are fair, if illegal arrests and custodial torture come to an end, then no victim will have to approach the courts.

He said it is beyond his understanding as to why intra and inter departmental disputes of the government or fights between PSUs and the government end up in courts.

“Abiding by law and the constitution, is the key to good governance. However, this is often ignored, and opinions of legal departments are not sought in the rush to implement executive decisions,” the CJI said, adding that lack of special prosecutors and standing counsels is one of the major issues that needs to be addressed.

International News

Pakistan rebuilds Jaish-e-Mohammed Bahawalpur base destroyed by India during Operation Sindoor: Report

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New Delhi, Aug 25: UN-designated terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) headquarters in Pakistan’s Bahawalpur, which were damaged in strikes launched by India under Operation Sindoor last year, have been rebuilt, according to reports.

According to images and intelligence inputs accessed by several media reports, the Markaz Subhanallah, which was badly damaged in India’s strikes last year, has been rebuilt with new plaster, paint, and polished marble.

The central hall of the facility, which had been damaged, has been repaired, with the craters filled and the structure refurbished. The structure, which was fully damaged, now seems to be prepared for regular use by JeM.

The Pakistani establishment provided approximately (Pakistani) Rs 25 crore to JeM in cash instalments, with approximately Rs 11 crore reportedly given for reconstruction of the central hall, several media reports claimed, citing intelligence inputs.

The structures adjoining the main complex, including the Madrasa Al-Sabir, described as an indoctrination centre, and residential quarters used by JeM commanders, which were damaged during Operation Sindoor, have been cleared or demolished, and new construction has taken place at the site.

The Bahawalpur facility was among the sites targeted by India during Operation Sindoor launched in May last year, in response to the terrorist attack carried out in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

India struck at the heart of Pakistan-based terror infrastructure, targeting well-known training camps in Muridke and Bahawalpur in a joint operation conducted by the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy.

The highly coordinated operation, launched on May 6 and 7, saw firing of 24 missiles that precisely hit nine terror facilities across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), killing an estimated 70 terrorists.

Only verified terror camps were targeted, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba headquarters in Muridke and key facilities in Bahawalpur — both long identified as hubs of extremist training and indoctrination.

Operation Sindoor was a significant demonstration of India’s military and strategic capability, combining both military and non-military measures.

India launched the operation in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that took place on April 22, 2025, in which Pakistan-backed attackers singled out victims after asking about their religion, forcing them to recite the Islamic ‘kalima’ to identify non-Muslims. Among those killed were 25 tourists and one local pony ride operator who tried to save the tourists.

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Crime

Goa: ED nabs two in ‘digital arrest’ cyber fraud; gang handled Rs 27,850 crore transactions

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Panaji, Aug 25: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested two men under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for operating a massive cyber-fraud network that defrauded victims through fake “digital arrests” and laundered proceeds into foreign currency, the agency said on Monday.

The ED produced the accused, identified as Fahim Moin Hussain Sayed and Naim Mueen Sayyed, before the Special PMLA Court in Goa on Monday, securing five days of custody until August 29.

The accused were arrested on Sunday following a complaint by a woman victim in North Goa, the agency said in a statement.

The money laundering probe stems from an FIR registered by the Cyber Crime Police Station, North Goa.

A local resident suffered a loss of Rs 2.60 crore after fraudsters placed her under continuous video call surveillance under the guise of a “digital arrest” and coerced her into transferring funds into fraudulent “secret supervision accounts” between May 21 and June 2 this year.

Investigating officers discovered the money entered an organised apparatus designed to convert cyber-fraud proceeds into cash and foreign currency through RBI-licensed full fledged money changers.

The victim’s money was routed within hours through an initial layer of dormant and newly opened bank accounts before being dispersed among more than 400 beneficiary accounts through transfers, cash withdrawals, self-cheques and payment gateways.

The trail then extended to an interconnected network of commodity, trading, travel and foreign-exchange entities, the ED said.

The agency said that the trail exposed an interconnected network of trading, travel, and foreign-exchange entities that recorded banking transactions exceeding Rs 27,850 crore. This network deposited Rs 2,904 crore in cash, including Rs 584.70 crore deposited via 61,448 separate transactions at bulk note acceptance machines.

The bank accounts of these dummy entities link to 163 FIRs and 330 complaints across 20 states and Union Territories, representing total reported victim losses of Rs 417.49 crore.

In 101 of these complaints, funds belonging to a single victim were routed to two or more entities within the same group during the same fraud, indicating that the accounts functioned as a common pool rather than as independent businesses.

The syndicate incorporated companies using names of drivers and employees living in single-room tenements to act as dummy directors while controlling the operations externally.

The ED conducted searches across 20 premises in Mumbai and Goa on July 17 and August 21 and yielded Rs 3.25 crore in cash and froze bank balances exceeding Rs 30 crore. The agency also seized digital devices, books of account, records and statutory registers, which are currently under examination.

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National News

Madras HC sets deadline for CM Vijay, Aadhav Arjuna to seek dismissal of election petitions

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Chennai, Aug 25: The Madras High Court has warned Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and Minister Aadhav Arjuna that they could each face a penalty of Rs 50,000 if they fail to file applications seeking the dismissal of election petitions against them by August 27.

The warning was issued by Justice V. Lakshminarayanan while hearing petitions challenging the election victories of the two leaders from the Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituencies.

DMK candidate R.D. Sekar, along with voters Dinesh and Lakshmi Narasimhan, had filed separate election petitions questioning Vijay’s victory from the Perambur constituency.

In a similar petition, DMK candidate Inigo Irudayaraj challenged Aadhav Arjuna’s election from the Tiruchirappalli East constituency.

When the cases came up for hearing, counsel representing the Chief Minister sought two weeks to file an application requesting the dismissal of the petitions. The judge, however, declined to grant the requested time, observing that the court had already made it clear during the previous hearing that no further extension would be allowed for filing such an application.

Justice Lakshminarayanan referred to Section 86 of the Representation of the People Act and underlined the need for the speedy disposal of election disputes.

He observed that election petitions should, as far as practicable, be heard continuously and concluded within six months from the date on which they are presented before the High Court.

Counsel appearing for Aadhav Arjuna also informed the court that the minister intended to submit an application seeking rejection of the election petition against him and requested additional time for completing the process.

The court refused to provide a two-week extension to his side as well.

The judge ultimately granted both Vijay and Aadhav Arjuna time until August 27 to file their respective dismissal applications.

The court made it clear that failure to submit the applications within the stipulated deadline would result in the imposition of a Rs 50,000 penalty.

The matter is expected to be taken up again after the deadline, when the court will consider any applications filed by the Chief Minister and the minister and decide the further course of proceedings in the election disputes.

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