BC Chandrakapure has been assigned to dispose off 200 pending cases. Some of these cases have been going on since 2004

The cases at industrial court for Pune district are likely to be resolved faster as judge B C Chandrakapure, who practices in the Mumbai Industrial court, assumed office in the industrial court for Pune district on Monday to tend to pending cases. The president of industrial court, Mumbai has asked judge Chandrakapure to 'camp' in Pune for one week every month for faster redressal of pending cases.

There are about 1500 cases in the Pune industrial court that has only one permanent courtroom headed by administrative judge S K Deshpande. According to a court official, Chandrakapure has been assigned to dispose off 200 pending cases. Some of these cases have been going on since 2004. On his first day on Monday, the Chandrakapure heard over 16 cases.

Chandrakapure will be coming to Pune in the second week of every month for redressal of cases. "According to rules, one court must be assigned for at about 500 industrial court cases. Other than a judge, the court includes a peon, a stenographer, clerks and other staff. With about 1500 pending cases, Pune needs at least two more industrial courts," said advocate Santosh Mhaske, who practices in the Pune labour and industrial courts.

This is the second attempt since April this year to send a judge from Mumbai to address the pending cases.

While the earlier judge failed to keep up with the one-week routine, industrial court petitioners are now hoping for faster redressal of their cases.