Bill for over 5000 rural courts to be passed soon

Jaipur, July 2 (UNI) The UPA Government is planning early passage of Gram Nyayalaya Bill 2007 for setting up of rural courts for speedy justice to people in the monsoon session of Parliament.

The bill is presently being examined by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, committee Chairman EM Sudarsana Natchiappan said here today.

Talking to reporters, Mr Natchiappan said that in a bid to lighten the burden of cases before the courts government was planning move of setting up intermediate courts between tehsil and panchayat levels.

He said that at present over two crore cases were pending before subordinate courts in the country and all concerned including the judiciary, executive and bar council and associations were worried over the situation.

Mr Natchiappan said that about 5000 new rural courts might be set up which would work in mobile mode at a level between the tehsil and panchayats.

He said that proposed bill to be moved in Parliament for the purpose was presently being examined by his committee.

He said the committee presently was undertaking discussions with all concerned at all levels countrywide for seeking views and feedback from all.

The committee had undertaken tours to various states to seek view of the state governments and other concerned parties and presently was touring Rajasthan since June 30.

The committee had discussed the matter with state government officials including Chief Secretary and Law Secretary.

The committee after completion of the ongoing process of interaction with concerned parties would submit its report before both houses of Parliament soon.

This process might be concluded during the monsoon session or by the next Winter session later this year.

Besides the bill, diuring the current tour the committee was also holding discussions with representatives of public sector banks and PSUs on the public grievances redressal mechanism evolved by them and their policy on appointments on compassionate grounds and with representatives of various political parties on electoral reforms.

Besides Mr Natchiappan, the committee has four members, Mr Mr Virendra Bakia and Mr Tarlochan Singh (both MPs Rajya Sabha) and Mr Shailendra Kumar and Mr S Rehman Beg (from Lok Sabha).

UNI