In 2017, there were a total of 7,700 cases registered and 1,626 cases carried forward from 2016 stated the annual report of the Judiciary of Bhutan.
A total of 6957 cases were decided by the courts in 2017. There were 4897 civil cases registered last year. Out of which the highest was monetary with 2936 cases and the lowest was environmental with 10 cases. There were 1403 criminal cases were registered out of which assault and battery was the highest with 407 cases and the lowest was arson with one.
The report states that Thimphu Dzongkhag Court had the highest number of cases registered with 1770 cases, followed by Paro Dzongkhag Court with 542 cases and Wangdue Phodrang Court with 490 cases.
Last year, Thimphu Dzongkhag Court had a total of 2,217 cases inclusive of 1770 cases registered and 447 cases carried forward from 2016, out of which 1402 cases have been decided.
Paro Dzongkhag Court had a total of 700 cases inclusive of 542 cases registered in 2017 and 158 cases carried forward from 2016, out of which 437 cases have been decided.
Likewise, Wangdue Phodrang Dzongkhag Court had a total of 454 cases registered inclusive of 409 cases registered last year and 45 cases carried forward from 2016, out of which 372 cases have been decided.
Amongst the Dungkhag Courts, Phuentsholing had the highest number of cases registered with 683 cases, followed by Gelephu with 262 cases and Nganglam with 141 cases. Out of the total number of cases inclusive of both new and pending cases, Phuentsholing court decided 691 cases, Gelephu court decided 241 cases and Nganglam court decided 154 cases.
According to the Case statistics of the High Court, as regards appeal cases, there are 343 cases appealed from Dzongkhag Court to the High Court out of which the high Court decided 277 cases.
Out of 277 cases decided, 16 were withdrawn, 3 were remanded, 4 were negotiated in settlement, 180 were affirmed, 62 were partially reversed, 9 were totally reversed, 2 were of original jurisdiction cases and one was default. 185 cases are pending out of which 4 are pending beyond a year.
Likewise, according to the case statistics of the Supreme Court, there were 73 cases appealed to the Supreme Court from the High Court. After the review hearing, the Supreme Court dismissed 45 cases, while 8 cases were withdrawn by parties.
The total number of cases registered in the Supreme Court was 20. Having 21 cases were carried forward from 2016, the total number of the Supreme Court for the year 2017 was 41.
The Supreme Court decided 24 cases out of which 8 were totally reversed, 13 were partially reversed and 3 were affirmed. There are 17 cases pending at the Supreme Court.