Andhra Pradesh: In a significant step towards reducing delays in criminal trials, 2020 batch IPS officer Dheeraj Kunubilli, Superintendent of Police, Annamayya district, has introduced a structured Court Monitoring System to track and expedite pending cases.
The initiative aims to improve coordination between police and prosecution while ensuring timely progress of trial-stage cases.
Centralised Platform to Track All Trial-Stage Cases
The newly introduced system brings all cases at the trial stage onto a single platform, enabling police units to:
- Monitor case progress in real-time
- Identify bottlenecks
- Ensure timely follow-up and coordination
The system compiles stage-wise data for each case and generates a daily case calendar, helping officers track hearings scheduled for a particular day.
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Focus on Critical Delay Points
Officials identified that nearly 80% of cases face delays during:
- Witness examination
- Appearance of the accused
To address this, police officers now:
- Review listed cases daily
- Ensure presence of witnesses and accused in court
- Prioritise early-stage hearings to avoid repeated adjournments
This targeted approach is expected to significantly reduce unnecessary delays.
Aim to Cut Trial Timelines by Over 50%
According to officials, ensuring timely production of witnesses and accused in the initial hearings could reduce overall trial timelines by 50–60%.
The move is also expected to:
Improve conviction rates
Reduce acquittals caused by procedural delays
Strengthen case outcomes
Tracking Witness Behaviour and Case Strength
A key feature of the system is monitoring the quality of witness depositions.
Witnesses are categorised as:
- Supportive
- Neutral
- Hostile
This helps officers:
- Assess the probability of conviction
- Identify weak cases
- Detect issues such as hostile witnesses or procedural lapses
Improved Coordination and Accountability
The system also flags cases where trials are not progressing despite being listed.
Such cases are reviewed at the district level to:
- Improve coordination among stakeholders
- Address administrative or procedural gaps
- Ensure accountability
Towards Timely Justice Delivery
With the initiative still evolving, IPS Dheeraj Kunubilli’s focus remains on ensuring that cases do not remain pending due to avoidable delays.
The system represents a proactive approach to modern policing, emphasizing efficiency, coordination, and timely justice delivery.
