Moily for more rural courts to ensure speedy justice

New Delhi, July 19 (ANI): Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily has said the government plans to set up more rural and mobile courts to ensure speedy delivery of justice to the common man.

Addressing a regional meeting of state governments and High Court judges on the implementation of the 13th Finance Commission grants and other measures for judicial reforms here on Sunday, Moily said: "Gram Nyayalaya (rural court) scheme is concerned, the centre is considering raising financial assistance. The grievances have come from various states. And, that is why, the states promised to set up more and more such courts."

"And we have requested that it will serve as a movement particularly to take the justice to the common man, to the most remote rural areas. Idea is to have more mobile courts," he added.

He also disclosed that a grant of 50 billion rupees has been given by 13th Finance Commission to revamp the country's judicial system.

"Flexibility will have to be given to the respective high courts to use the fund in appropriate manner, of course, within broader parameter of the total scheme which is given. The core objective of this Finance Commission's grant is for the disposal of the cases and to ensure there should be access to justice to everyone and also ensure that the ultimate analysis, that any case should not take more than three years. And towards that end we are all working," he said.

The 85th report of the Standing Committee on Legal Delays said last year that over 24 million cases are pending before various courts in the country, some since 1950.

Till July 2009, 53,000 cases were pending before the Supreme Court, 40,00,000 cases were with high courts and 2.7 crore before the lower courts. his marked an increase of 139 percent for Supreme Court, 46 percent for High Court and 32 percent for lower courts.

The judicial delays are blamed primarily on the vacancies in the post of judges and the antiquity of laws.

Cases are still conducted by archaic British era laws such as the Evidence Act of the 19th century and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1905. (ANI)