The Madras High Court has the distinction of having disposed off the highest number of 50,000 cases in the country last year, according to Chief Justice Paul Vasanthakumar.

"Madras High Court has the distinction of having disposed off the highest number of cases in the country last year. In 2010 this distinction was held by Kerala. The Court disposed off 50,000 cases last year," he said.

Speaking after inaugurating a Lok Adalat at the Kanchipuram court complex here yesterday, he urged magistrates to accord priority to dispose long pending cases, some of which have been filed 30 years back and give judgement within six months.

He also requested lawyers not to indulge in frequent boycotts of courts to address their grievances.

Justice Hari Paranthaman of Madras High Court said Lok Adalats must also take up criminal cases and that lawyers should extend help in this regard.