Bengaluru Urban District is struggling with a significant backlog of land dispute cases in revenue courts, totalling 16,355 unresolved cases, many of which have been pending for over three years. Administrative challenges hinder prompt resolutions, with 10,324 cases concentrated at the Assistant Commissioner level. The Revenue Department has implemented regular hearings to rush the process and mandated that pending appeals be distributed among parallel teams for resolution within six months. Despite efforts, the situation remains critical across various courts, including the Deputy and Assistant Commissioner courts, with thousands of cases still awaiting final decisions.
Bengaluru Urban District has been grappling with a substantial backlog of land dispute cases in revenue courts, with 16,355 cases still unresolved. This backlog, which has accumulated over several years, is causing significant inconvenience to the public. Of particular concern is that 8,937 of these cases have been pending for over three years, with 981 approaching final hearings. Despite the government's efforts to resolve these cases within three to six months, administrative challenges have significantly slowed the resolution process.
The backlog is particularly concentrated at the Assistant Commissioner level, with 10,324 cases still unresolved. These cases, filed under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act of 1964, are primarily appeals in the Assistant Commissioner's court under Section 136(2) of the Act. The administrative process of issuing notices, gathering documentation, and conducting hearings has led to prolonged delays in judgment, adding to the strain on the courts.
In an attempt to address the issue, the Revenue Department has introduced regular hearings on Tuesdays and Thursdays to expedite the resolution of quasi-judicial revenue cases. Additionally, the state government has mandated the distribution of pending cases among parallel teams to ensure resolution within six months. Deputy Tahsildars responsible for title transfers and disputes have also been instructed to accelerate the process in their respective jurisdictions.
Despite these efforts, the situation remains critical across various courts. The Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban District, Dayanand KA, revealed that when he assumed office, there were 6,000 pending cases in the Deputy Commissioner's court. This number later increased by 1,000, bringing the total to 7,000. Over the next year and a half, Dayanand resolved 4,000 cases, reducing the backlog to 3,000. However, he noted that approximately 9,000 cases remain unresolved in the Assistant Commissioner's court. Moreover, he highlighted that new cases continue to be filed rapidly, further exacerbating the situation. Dayanand clarified that the Special Deputy Commissioner's court does not fall under his jurisdiction.
The Deputy Commissioner's court currently has 3,222 unresolved cases, of which 1,892 have been pending for an extended period. Meanwhile, the Special Deputy Commissioner-North's court has 1,950 unresolved cases, with 1,775 overdue, and the Special Deputy Commissioner-South's court has 859 pending cases. The Assistant Commissioner-Bengaluru North's court is also heavily burdened, with 6,153 pending cases, of which 3,309 have been delayed for a long period. Similarly, the Assistant Commissioner-Bengaluru South's court has 4,171 pending cases, including 1,231 delayed cases. The Tahsildar courts in Bengaluru Urban District are also experiencing delays, with pending cases in areas such as Bengaluru North, Bengaluru South, Bengaluru East, Yelahanka, and Anekal.
The backlog of cases in Bengaluru Urban District's revenue courts reflects the pressing need for systemic reforms. Despite government mandates to expedite case resolutions, administrative inefficiencies continue to slow progress. These inefficiencies have created a bottleneck in the legal system, affecting thousands of individuals seeking justice in land disputes. The situation demands immediate attention to streamline processes, enhance coordination among officials, and leverage technology for quicker case resolutions.
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