IMPHAL : Veteran politician and former Congress minister O Joy has drawn attention to the urgent need to fill vacancies in the Manipur High Court to ensure the timely disposal of pending election petitions.

Speaking at a press conference at Congress Bhavan, O Joy highlighted that a significant backlog of election-related cases from the 2022 Assembly polls remains unresolved due to an acute shortage of judges.

“The judiciary is crucial in a democratic system to uphold accountability and deliver justice. In Manipur, however, the lack of adequate judges has delayed many cases, undermining the sanctity of our Constitution and democratic framework,” O Joy said.

Out of the 60 seats in the Manipur Legislative Assembly, 36 election petitions were filed following the 2022 polls. So far, only two cases have been resolved, leaving just two years for the current Assembly term.

O Joy emphasised that the Manipur High Court is supposed to have five judges, but the court has consistently functioned with fewer, often only three, which has slowed down the judicial process. He called upon the authorities to immediately fill the required posts so that pending election cases and other matters are addressed promptly.

While welcoming the recent appointment of the Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court, O Joy expressed hope that the Chief Justice, the Governor, and the Law Minister will take decisive steps to address the acute shortage of judges in the state.