Orissa plans to set up evening courts - Naveen

Bhubaneswar, Apr 19 (UNI) The Orissa government is contemplating setting up evening courts on an experimental basis for the speedy disposal of cases.

Addressing a joint conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices in New Delhi today, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said evening courts have been proposed to be set up in Bhubaneswar.

Mr Patnaik said the government was also planning to introduce shift system in the sub-ordinate courts in Bhubaneswar and to replicate it in other cities on the basis of experience.

Alternative Dispute Redressal Mechanism would also be introduced shortly in the state, he said.

The Chief Minister said the current level of financial support under the Centrally sponsored scheme was not adequate since the deficiency in the infrastructure was a big challenge to the efficient functioning of judicial courts.

He sought a Central assistance of Rs 75 crore for construction of 55 new court complexes for the subordinate judiciary and Rs 100 crore assistance for expansion of the High Court complex and higher judicial courts.

The Chief Minister said the state government had decided to establish ten more district courts during the current financial year and six more during the next financial year to clear the backlog of increasing number of cases.

He welcomed the establishment of Fast Track courts under the eleventh Finance Commission award and urged the Union government to continue it on a permanent basis and to extend the scheme to civil cases too.

The state government, the Chief Minister said, also decided to set up seven more family courts during the current financial year in view of rising number of matrimonial dispute cases.

He said the government had already established five new vigilance courts during 2007-08 and planned to establish two Special Courts under Orissa Special Court Act to deal with corruption cases of public figures.

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