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'125 cases a day': Ex-Delhi HC judge reveals what happens inside courts

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Drawing on over two decades of bench experience, retired Justice Poonam A Bamba detailed how district dockets are overwhelmed by tens of thousands of disputes alongside document-intensive trials. Court personnel, including stenographers typing for hours and police testifying after marathon shifts, face relentless physical demands to keep proceedings moving. Furthermore, judges regularly confront intense public scrutiny, emotionally fraught family matters, and disturbing incidents that never make official records.

Key points

  • Institutional delays cannot be properly addressed without accounting for the extreme staf…: Institutional delays cannot be properly addressed without accounting for the extreme staffing limitations placed on supporting court personnel and administrative workers.
  • Cheque-bouncing disputes represent a major volume driver behind the massive case backlogs…: Cheque-bouncing disputes represent a major volume driver behind the massive case backlogs burdening district-level judiciaries.
  • Public perceptions of the judiciary should factor in intense emotional pressures and unse…: Public perceptions of the judiciary should factor in intense emotional pressures and unseen courtroom stresses rather than relying on isolated video clips.

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A courtroom may look calm from the visitors’ gallery, but behind the proceedings is a demanding routine involving lengthy files, repeated hearings, witness statements and careful examination of evidence. The work does not end when a judge leaves the courtroom either. There are orders to prepare, records to review and cases to be readied for the next day.

Retired

Delhi High Court judge Justice Poonam A Bamba has offered a glimpse into this lesser-seen side of the justice system in a conversation with The Better India. Drawing on more than two decades in the judiciary, she explains why judging involves far more than listening to arguments and delivering decisions. One detail from her experience stands out: magistrates in her district could handle between 125 and 150 cases in a day. Some trials, meanwhile, involved thousands of documents and hours of continuous evidence recording. Her account also highlights the people who keep courts functioning, the emotional pressure faced by judges and the steps citizens can take when they need help navigating the legal system.

A judge’s day can involve far more…

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