Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Feb 20: The State Government is going to establish Fast Track Courts to deal with emergency nature of cases while several measures are also being taken for reducing pendency of cases, whose number is constantly increasing in different courts.
“Establishment of eight Fast Track Courts of the rank of District and Sessions Judges and ten Fast Track Courts of the rank of Civil Judges at an estimated cost of Rs 777.03 lakh is under active consideration of the Government,” informed the Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Mir Saifullah, in his reply on discussion on Demands of Grants for his Departments in the Legislative Assembly, here today.
Disclosing that the matter has been referred to the Finance Department for concurrence and is likely to be cleared very soon, Mr Saifullah reminded that the Government has already designated some District courts as Fast Track Courts. These include, Anantnag, Baramulla, Jammu, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama, Rajouri and Srinagar.
“The establishment of Fast Track Courts will greatly help to clear the pendency of cases and provide speedy justice to the people,” he said.
The Law Minister also disclosed that a State Litigation Policy was in offing for appointment of District Litigation Officers to ensure speedy disposal of cases. “The Cabinet has already approved the policy and the Finance Ministry is likely to give its nod very soon,” he said.
Listing other measures initiated to reduce the pendency of cases, whose number is 93000 in High Court and 183000 in Subordinate Courts, the Minister said that after appointment of five HC Judges during the last year, four more vacancies of Judges are likely to be filled up very soon.
“Similarly, 7 District and Sessions Judges and 38 Munsiffs were appointed recently while 12 more vacancies of Munsiffs have been referred to the Public Service Commission (PSC) to further strengthen the Courts,” he said while reminding that 36 Courts including 14 Sub-Judges and 22 Munsiff, and 2 Courts of Additional District and Sessions Judges have been established in different areas of the State.
Further, the Law Minister said, in order to ensure speedy justice to the people in rural and far-flung areas, the Government is going to establish 22 Dehi Adalats at the block level. “The State High Court has been asked to identify such blocks where these courts will be established under first phase, said the Minister adding that the Government has proposed to establish at least one Dehi Adalat in each block.
Informing that the proposal for setting up a Law Commission for bringing transparency and reforms in the judicial system has been sent to the Finance Department for its approval, Mir Saifullah said that the Government has also constituted a committee of eminent lawyers and jurists for reviewing and updating the obsolete laws. “The Committee is likely to submit its reports very soon for further action while 15 laws have already been repealed on the recommendation of the Codification branch of the Department,” he said.
Maintaining that the performance of Government Lawyers and Public Prosecutors would also be monitored to ensure efficiency in their functioning, the Minister announced that the Government will create some more positions of Additional Advocate Generals and Government Advocates for each wing of the High Court. “This has become inevitable with the present strength of the High Court. The State has also appointed 13 Law Officers for Srinagar Wing and 10 for Jammu Wing of High Court. Similarly, 40 Public Prosecutors/Additional Public Prosecutors have been appointed for Subordinate Courts across the State. The strength of Standing Counsels has also been increased upto 800,” he said while listing the measures adopted to strengthen the legal system in J&K.
“In order to settle the chronic cases, 485 Lok Adalats were organized by the State Legal Services Authority during 2013-14. As many as 62808 cases of different natures were settled and Rs 30.34 crore was disbursed among the victims and their kin in these Lok Adalats. In the National Lok Adalats, held at District and Tehsil levels throughout the State on November 24, 2013, record 57107 cases were settled in a day. Besides, 977 persons belonging to economically weaker sections of the society also availed the free legal aid during the current year and an amount of Rs. 32.83 lakh was paid to the Retainer Lawyers appointed under Free and Competent Legal Services Scheme,” said the Minister.
Later, the House passed the grants of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs for the year 2014-15, amounting to Rs 39.67 crore with voice vote.
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