Judiciary to form task force to clear long-pending 13,000 cases
The task force will seek explanations from the magistrates and judges assigned to such cases and determine the reasons for the delays.
Abdul Ghani Mohamed said on Sunday that more than 13,000 court cases have been pending for over a year and that resolving these cases will be a main priority of the judiciary in 2026. He said a special task force will be formed to coordinate efforts to clear the backlog.
The Chief Justice made the remarks at a ceremony held at CHSE School in Hulhumalé to mark the opening of the judicial year 2026. The event was attended by President Mohamed Muizzu.
In his address, Ghani said public confidence in the courts depends on the timely delivery of justice. He said delays undermine the justice system and noted that many cases have remained unresolved due to factors including limited judicial capacity.
Ghani said that as of the end of 2025, there were 13,032 cases that had been pending for more than one year. He said the judiciary’s objective for 2026 is to reduce delays and prevent the accumulation of further backlogs.
He said more than 21,000 new cases are expected to be filed this year. To manage both new and pending cases, Ghani said steps will be taken to ensure new cases proceed without delay while addressing older cases through targeted measures.
He said a special task force will be established on Tuesday to examine cases that have remained pending. The task force will seek explanations from the magistrates and judges assigned to such cases and determine the reasons for the delays.
Ghani said that where delays are linked to the lack of cooperation from government institutions, the task force will engage with the relevant agencies. He added that all actions taken by the task force will be recorded and documented.
He also said the initiative will address cases involving individuals held in detention pending trial, which he described as a matter of public concern.
The Chief Justice said that in addition to case backlogs in lower courts, a number of constitutional cases before the Supreme Court have remained stayed, with hearings not conducted for extended periods. These include cases related to a constitutional amendment passed in one day that would result in members of parliament losing their seats if expelled from their political parties.
