LITIGANT FRIENDLY JUDICIAL REFORMS
The canvas of Judicial
reforms is very wide, encompassing wide spectrum of issues concerning
different departments of the Central Government. Out of the main
litigant friendly areas of judicial reforms is reduction of delays
in courts. A series of steps have been taken by the Government
on the front of Judicial reforms. The High Courts have been requested
to implement the recommendations of the Malimath Committee to
streamline procedure which will, inter-alia, expedite disposal
of pending cases. Government have also been constantly reviewing
the accumulation of arrears in courts. Besides reviewing and increasing
judge strength of High Courts every three years, Government have
set up/encouraged alternative modes of dispute resolution including
conciliation, mediation and arbitration. Special tribunals like
Central Administrative Tribunal, State Administrative Tribunals,
Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Labour Courts, Consumer Courts
etc., have been set up to expedite the disposal of cases. Information
Technology is being used in generation of causelists, providing
information to the litigants/advocates etc., for speedy disposal
of cases. A pilot project has been started for networking and
computerisation of City Courts in the four major metrocities of
Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai to serve as a model. The project
is aimed at augmenting capacities of courts and speeding up their
disposal through better court management with the help of information
technology.
Civil Procedure
Code has been amended and the amendments have been brought into
force with effect from July 1, 2002 which, inter-alia, limit the
number of adjournments which can be granted to a party to three,
provide for speedy process service by speed post, courier services,
fax or e-mail, authorise the court to fix time limit for oral
arguments & provide for a number of other measures aimed at
ensuring expeditious disposal of cases. Permanent Lok Adalats
are being set up for expeditious resolution of disputes relating
to public utilities.
Under the Centrally
Sponsored Scheme funds have also been provided for the use of
Information Technology in the High Courts. Fast Tract Courts have
been set up to speed up the trial of delayed cases, in particular
the cases of undertrials who have been in jails for a long time.
State Governments & Union Territories have been requested
to fill up vacant posts of judges/magistrates and supporting staff
in District/Subordinate Courts.
This was stated by
the Minister of Law & Justice and Commerce and Industry, Shri
Arun Jaitley, in reply to a question by Shri Karnendu Bhattacharjee
in the Rajya Sabha today.
