GILGIT, Dec 10: Litigants suffer as posts of two judges in the Supreme Appellate Court and four in the high court are lying vacant for a long time.

The four positions of judges to the chief court were created after the Empowerment and Self-Governance Order of 2009. It is learnt that several summaries have been moved seeking appointment of the judges, but the federal ministry of Kashmir affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan seems unmoved.

Under the order of 2009, the Supreme Appellate Court must have three judges, including the chief justice, but regrettably, the apex court is currently run by only the Chief Justice Rana Irshad.

The tenure of the three judges of the supreme court -- Chief Justice Nawaz Abbasi and judges Syed Jaffar Shah and Mohammad Yaqoob — ended seven months ago. But only the new chief justice has been appointed, while the remaining two seats are vacant since that time, making it almost impossible for the lone judge to handle such an increasing number of appellants.

It was also reported that the three retiring judges of the appellate court put up their cases with the concerned authorities for seeking extension in their tenures, but to no avail.

Sources said due to unavailability of relief in the appellate forum the burden on the chief court has increased. Senior lawyers alleged that vested interests were creating hurdles to the appointment of the judges to the top courts.

“First, it is the Kashmir affairsministry, which hinders the process of appointment of judges,” alleged president of the High Court Bar Association Javed Iqbal advocate. He said the legislative assembly and the High Court Bar passed resolutions calling for the appointment of judges on permanent basis instead of contract basis by elevating judges of the high court, but no heed was paid to their genuine concerns. Mr Iqbal said the government should take notice of the frustration prevailing among the public and fill in the vacant posts of judges to mitigate the agonies of the litigants.