cases in theAndhra Pradeshhigh court have increased by 350 per cent between 2019 and 2022. In 2019, there were only 1,175 cases. In 2022, that number went up to 5,324 (as on November 18). In most of the cases, State Government is the respondent which failed to comply with the HC orders.
The primary reason appears to be non-payment of bills to contractors and firms who executed works in various government departments. Increase in contempt cases indicates two-fold problem–increasing litigation and pendency.
The litigants are also approaching HC instead of going to lower courts with execution petitions to fast track litigation. This is the reason why there is an increasing number of contempt cases but very few end up in convictions. If the number of convictions is also increasing on the same rate as that of cases being filed, then it is an alarming situation, he observed.