110 vacancies of judges in HCs, 2 in SC: Natchiappan

Chennai, Nov 17 (UNI) The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice had already recommended to the Centre to fill up 110 vacancies of judges in various High Courts and two vacancies in the Supreme Court, Committee Chairman E M Sudarsana Natchiappan said today.

After inspecting Nani Palkhivala Arbitration Centre (NPAC) here Natchiappan told reporters that the Committee had also recommended to increase the number of judges in the High Courts, considering the number of pending cases.

Apart from the routine judicial system, there were two other alternatives for solving the legal disputes namely Legal Services Authority-- free legal aid and Arbitration Centres which were empowered by the Alternative Disputes Resolution Act, he said.

The Legal service authorities and the Arbitration Centres headed by former judges and eminent lawyers tried to settle disputes as out-of-court the Rajya Sabha MP said adding that the Centre was very keen on setting up Arbitration centres, which the Committee also had endorsed.

The Committee already suggested that a three-member committee could be constituted under the leadership of Chief Justice of India with two other judges as members to go into the functioning of the existing Arbitration centres, and also for setting up of new Arbitration centres, whereever necessary.

He said the Arbitration centres were very famous at Singapore, Hongkong, UK and US, and the Committee wanted that India should be a hub of Arbitration by establishing similar Arbitration centres and Centres of Excellence to deal international disputes.

He said there were about two crore cases pending in various stages across the country.

The Committee had already visited the NPAC and after completing the present visit, the Committee would recommend to the Centre and the Supreme Court as well to sanction Centre of Excellence status to the NPAC.

NPAC's Director N L Rajah said the centre was established a year back, and so far they heard more than 100 cases. They take up disputes valued at Rs 10 lakh and above, he informed.

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