India, Feb. 9 -- The Bombay High Court has directed its administration to submit a detailed blueprint outlining the steps and timelines for filling sanctioned but vacant posts in the Maharashtra lower judiciary, including those of civil judges, chief and additional metropolitan magistrates, and judges of the court of small causes.

The directions were issued while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed in 2022 by Vaijanath Pandurang Vaze, who has sought an increase in judicial strength and improvement in court infrastructure across district and magistrate courts in the state. Vaze pointed out that around 3,500 judicial posts remain vacant and urged the court to ensure that the recruitment process is expedited.

In December 2023,...