Haryana's High Court proposal under consideration of Centre

Chandigarh, Mar 16 (UNI) Union Law Minister Hans Raj Bhardwaj today said Haryana's proposal to have a separate High Court is being considered by the Central Government.

Talking to newsmen shortly after filing his nomination papers from Haryana for election to the Rajya Sabha, he said a National Law School would be set up in the state.

Mr Bhardwaj said that the resolution regarding state's separate High Court passed by the Vidhan Sabha has been received and its acknowledgment has been sent to the Chief Minister.

He said that the process of consultation with Chief Justice and Chief Minister would commence after the conclusion of the on-going session of the Parliament so as to take this issue towards positive direction.

However, he made it clear that this has been a very complex issue.

In reply to a question that whether law was being amended to deal with hostile witnesses, Mr Bhardwaj said the Government has taken the issue very seriously. He said that efforts were on in his ministry to tone up criminal justice. However, he refused to speak in detail, saying that the issue related to the Home Ministry.

Noting that the UPA government was committed to ensure ransparency by bringing accountability in the institution of executive, jurdiciary and legislature, he said that vacancies of judges were being filled up to speed up disposal of pending cases in various courts. In the recently-held conference of chief ministers and judges, it was resolved that vacancies of judges be filled up in a time bound manner.

In reply to a question on the issue of Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal, Mr Bhardwaj said that Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has been focusing on the issue.

He said that he himself, being a Minister of the Central Government, would provide all help to both the states in a fair and impartial manner.

Mr Hooda, who was present on the occasion, blamed the then Lok Dal Party of former Chief Minister Om Parkash Chautala and the BJP for delay in the completion of the canal. He said that the Supreme Court has already delivered its verdict in favour of Haryana.

UNI VKJ VD DB1913