Panaji, July 17 - The chief justice of the Bombay High Court has said that lawyers representing the government would be fined if they are found seeking unnecessary adjournments and delaying cases.

Justice Swatanter Kumar Thursday made the remarks in an open court here after expressing concern over the number of pending cases before the Panaji bench of the high court.

There are currently 3,000 cases pending before the bench here.

'Government counsel will be made to pay fines from their own pocket if found to be delaying matters by resorting to unnecessary adjournments,' the chief justice warned.

Justice Kumar also warned the lawyers that their cases would be dismissed by default if the pending cases listed on the court's notice board were not pursued.

Kumar expressed disbelief on learning that a first appeal in a case was in the high court's registry pending for more than two years without being heard even once.