The Union Government is planning to introduce evening courts in Delhi, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh on a pilot basis to address the growing pendency of cases.

Union Minister of State for Law and Justice (Independent Charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal disclosed the proposal during an interview with The New Indian Express.

Outlining the Centre's strategy to speed up judicial proceedings, Meghwal said that courts currently functioning during regular daytime hours would extend their sittings by a few additional hours in the evening to take up pending cases and expedite their disposal.

He further stated that the government intends to engage retired judges to preside over these evening sessions. The initiative is expected to be launched shortly in coordination with the respective High Courts.

According to the Minister, the performance of the pilot project in the three States and Union Territories will be assessed before deciding whether to extend the model to other States and Union Territories.

Apart from evening courts, Meghwal also highlighted the Centre's efforts to reduce the burden on the judiciary through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

He said the government is placing greater emphasis on the disposal of disputes through Lok Adalats and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms to facilitate quicker resolution of cases and reduce the burden on regular courts.