The row between Supreme Court and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has once again surfaced today when the Chief Justice T S Thakur today asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s attitude was lackadaisical from the very issue of filling vacancies to providing adequate infrastructure.

Addressing All India Conference of the Central Administration Tribunal – CAT in New Delhi, he said g that there are 500 judges’ posts lying vacant in High Courts and courtrooms are lying vacant without judges.

He further said that in principle, the judiciary was not against the formation of Tribunals because it would relieve court duties, but the problem arose from the lack of adequate infrastructure provided to the Tribunals. However, he felt infrastructure is a major concern for the tribunals.

He deplored that tribunals are not adequately equipped and a situation has come today that no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head tribunals. Several tribunals are empty and there are no proper facilities, he added.

However, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad speaking on this occasion asserted his government’s performance in recruitment of judge. “This year government has made record 121 judges’ appointment. Since 1990, there has been only 80 appointments”, he added.

Throwing fault on the judiciary, the minister said five thousand vacancies are in lower judiciary in which government has no role to play and this must be taken care of by High Courts.