Law Ministers' Conf to discuss Gram Nyayalayas

New Delhi, Feb 1: Law Ministers and experts from various High Courts will meet here today to discuss the establishment of Gram Nyayalayas in the country.

Organised by the Ministry of Law and Justice, the conference will be chaired by Union Minister of Law and Justice Dr. H R Bhardwaj. The conference will also deliberate on other related matters like time frame and financial arrangements for the setting up of Gram Nyayalayas. The Gram Nyayalayas Bill, 2007 has already been introduced in the Parliament and examined by the Department related Parliament Standing Committee.

The Government has now decided to pursue the Gram Nyayalayas Bill in the Parliament for its enactment.

Before enactment of the Bill, the Government has also decided that the implementation aspects in this regard should be further discussed with the Law Ministers of the States.

The main objective of the Gram Nyayalayas Bill, 2007 is to provide speedy, affordable and substantive justice to the poor at grass root level in the rural areas at their doorstep.

Gram Nyayalayas will act as subordinate court at intermediate panchayat level.

The Central Government will bear all the non-recurring expenditure for setting up of the Gram Nyayalayas and will bear half of the recurring expenditure for three years after setting up of the Gram Nyayalayas.

The Gram Nyayalayas will be empowered to deal with both criminal cases as well as civil cases as per the procedure laid down in the Gram Nyayalayas Bill, 2007.

ANI