Jaipur: Rajasthan High Court has issued a general mandamus directing all subordinate Revenue Courts to strictly comply with Supreme Court directions and take effective steps to expedite the disposal of pending revenue cases. The court ordered that matters pending for more than five to 10 years be categorised as “oldest cases”, kept in red file covers and be personally monitored by presiding officers, who must write the order-sheets themselves.The directions were issued by Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand on Sept 16 while hearing a petition filed by Laxminarayan, a resident of Reni near Rajgarh, Alwar. A copy of the order was uploaded Friday. Court’s directions followed the appearance of Mahaveer Prasad, Registrar, Board of Revenue, Ajmer, who informed the court that 72,081 cases were pending before the board.The pendency data revealed a substantial backlog of long-pending matters. As many as 23,744 cases had remained pending for more than 10 years and less than 20 years, while 2,881 cases were pending for more than 20 years but less than 30 years. Three cases had been pending for more than 30 years, while two matters crossed the 40-year mark.Court noted that although 13 Benches were functioning before the board, the disposal rate remained meagre. It also expressed concern over cases being adjourned even after being taken up for final hearing without sufficient justification. Such unnecessary adjournments, Court observed, contribute to inordinate delays and affect the right to speedy justice under Article 21 of the Constitution.Registrar, Board of Revenue, has been directed to provide stage-wise details of pending cases, including matters ready for final arguments, cases awaiting service and those in which substitution of deceased litigants remains pending. Year-wise data on revenue suits before sub-divisional officers and appeals before revenue appellate authorities must also be furnished in tabulated form.Justice Dhand emphasised the need to move away from the traditional culture of prolonged adjournments, observing that the mindset that “cases are filed by the grandparents and the judgments are heard by their grandchildren” must change.In the individual case before the court, proceedings had moved at a “snail’s pace”. SDO, Reni (Alwar), was directed to decide the suit within six months through day-to-day proceedings and without entertaining unnecessary adjournment requests.Court further directed the chief secretary to constitute divisional-level Arrears Review Committees headed by senior IAS officers and submit a compliance report within six months. Registrar, Board of Revenue, has been directed to remain personally present before the HC on Sept 29, 2026, for further compliance.
