Judicial system has not outlived utility: CJ

Hyderabad, Nov 16 (UNI) The continuing faith reposed by the litigant public shows that the judicial system in the country has not outlived its utility, Andhra Pradesh Chief Justice G S Singhvi asserted today.

Regular courts and Lok Adalats had done exceptionally, clearing a large number of cases, proving the judicial system acted as a cushion between anarchy and peace and had won the people's confidence, Mr Justice Singhvi, Patron-in-Chief, State Legal Services Authority said at the National Legal Literacy Day celebrations here.

Referring to pendency of cases, he said cheque-bounce cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act accounted for 10 to 15 lakh pending cases in the country, including 80,000 in Andhra.

The 23 Lok Adalats in the districts and six permanent Lok Adalats had performed remarkably well throughout the year. In the last one week alone they had cleared 3554 cases, a tremendous achievement.

Regular courts had cleared as many as 20,000 cases, including 9,000 cases by the High Court alone, despite constraints like inadequate infrastructure. The recenly enacted Protection of Women from Domestic Violence act could add upto 20 to 30 cases in every civil court, Mr Justice Singhvi added.

Exhorting all concerned to educate the public on Lok Adalats, an alternative dispute resolution mechanism, he said matrimony-related cases could be settled at the pre-litigation stage.

Echoing that courts at the local level had done remarkably well in clearing cases, State Legal Services Committee Chairman and High Court Judge Mr Justice D S R Verma wanted Lok Adalats to concentrate on resolution of disputes among farmers in rural areas.

He commended the services of the Federation of Female Lawyers for their yeoman service in imparting legal literacy to the common man.

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