Numbers of fresh case filings swell in the additional family courts, while petitioners await appointment of judges

BANGALORE: After her divorce, Shubha (name changed) was taking care of her six-year-old child. Fearing harm to her daughter from her former in-laws, she had filed a custody case in the family court for permanent guardianship.

But to her horror, one day her estranged husband took away his daughter on her way back from school. It has been seven months since she filed the custody case and she is still waiting for justice. She feels helpless now as there is no judge at present in court hall-2 of the family court.

There may be many more helpless people like her awaiting justice, which is only being delayed because the court room has no judge.

Judge Mariyappa had served the Second Additional Family Court (court room - 2 of family court) in Bangalore for the last four months. He was transferred to Bijapur 13 days ago. But no one has been appointed in his place till date.

During his tenure here, Mariyappa had disposed off 1,200 cases. He was also handling cases in the Third Additional Family Court (court room - 3 in family court) as it was lying vacant for almost nine months.

With numbers of fresh case filings in the family court reaching 3000 this year, there has been a dire need for judges to be appointed in the court rooms 2 and 3 of the family court.

"Majority of the cases that come here are divorce and maintenance cases. Such issues need immediate attention. That was the reason why the family court was set up. Judges should be appointed to the two court rooms at the earliest," said an advocate.

The advocate added that Judge Mariyappa had disposed off all the cases that were filed in 1989 and now cases from 2001 are pending hearing.

About 800 cases in the Second Additional Family Court were disposed off by Mariyappa. But nearly 1500 to 1800 cases are still pending. In the case of Third Additional Family Court, he disposed off 400 cases when in office. Now, numbers have swelled to 2500 pending cases.

"Even mutual divorce cases that should be disposed off in 18 months have been pending before the court," the advocate added.