Maharashtra has maximum number of Family Courts

New Delhi, Aug 21 (UNI) Of the 159 Family Courts set up so far in the country, Maharashtra accounts for the maximum number of 18 such courts, followed by Kerala (16) and Delhi (15), the government informed today.

However, it is Uttar Pradesh which has maintained its lead in registering of cases by these courts during the last three years.

In 2004, a total of 24,408 cases were instituted by Family Courts in Uttar Pradesh and the number went up to 25,962 a year later. Last year (till September), the number of such cases was pegged at 20,950.

On the other hand, Maharashtra, the state with the maximum number of Family Courts, recorded 15,409 cases last year as compared to 15,253 in 2004 and 15,982 in 2003.

Kerala, which recorded 22,787 and 20,719 cases in 2003 and 2004 respectively, witnessed a downward trend with 7,485 cases plus 5,004 transferred cases.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Law and Justice K Venkathapathy said a total of 159 Family Courts had been set up in various states by March this year.

Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state, has 14 Family Courts, Karnataka 12, Chhattisgarh 11 and Andhra Pradesh 8.

Mr Venkathapathy said family courts are set up by the state governments in consultation with their high courts.

Financial assistance on 50:50 basis is provided by the Central government, he said, adding ''all state governments and Union Territories have been requested by the Department of Justice to set up a Family Court in each district''.

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