For decades, the Indian judiciary has been described as a “leaking tap” – a system where the inflow of new cases consistently outpaces the rate of disposal, leading to a staggering backlog of over five crore cases.
While solutions, ranging from increasing the number of judges to digitising records, are frequently proposed, the most potent weapon against pendency already exists in the statute books: the restriction on adjournments.
If Indian courts were to strictly follow the “Rule of Three” as mandated by law, the judicial system can radically transform from a marathon of delays into a sprint toward justice.
Culture of adjournment
The legal framework for curbing delays is surprisingly robust. Order XVII, Rule 1 of the Code of Civil Procedure explicitly states that no more than three adjournments shall be granted to a party during the hearing of a suit.
