CHANDIGARH, FEB 22
The Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court Sanjay Kishan Kaul today said that like the temples of prayer, the temple of justice, that is, the courts should never be closed and work of courts should never be hampered. The advocates are expected to extend their support in this endeavour.
Mr Kaul was addressing the people after laying foundation stone of ‘Tower of Justice’ (new judicial complex) in Gurgaon today. The Haryana Chief Minister Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Mr Kaul laid the foundation of ‘Tower of Justice’ here which would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 113 crore. The complex includes three projects including District Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre and Lawyers Chambers.
In his address, Mr Kaul said that the new judicial complex will have ultra modern facilities. He said that efforts are being made to provide best facilities to the advocates and also that they get appropriate place to sit with their clients in the court premises so that they can help in delivering justice to them. He said that the existence of advocates and judges is because of the people who come in the courts for seeking justice. The ultimate objective is dispensation of speedy and inexpensive justice to all. At the same time, he said that efforts were being made to reduce the number of pending cases in the courts, so that after some time, we can say that no case beyond 5 years is pending in any of the courts. This is possible here only when the advocates co-operate. During last one year, about 50,000 pending cases have been decided in courts in the states of Punjab and Haryana, he claimed.
Mr Kaul appreciated the efforts of Haryana State Legal Services Authority (HSLSA) and said that the advocates should also contribute in the efforts of HSLSA. He appealed that an advocate should provide free services for at least one case every month.
Earlier, the Haryana Chief Minister Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that the new Judicial Complex of Gurgaon will be unique in the country. Initially, the cost is estimated at Rs 113 crore but till completion it would be Rs 225 crore as it includes Lawyers Chambers and ADR Centre as well. He said that Judiciary is strong pillar of democracy in which people have full faith.
Mr Hooda said that the advocates should not only do their legal practice but also show right path to the society. He said that advocates played significant role in freedom struggle. Mahatama Gandhi, Moti Lal Nehru, Lala Lajpat Rai, Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru all were advocates. He lauded the role of HSLSA in making the general masses aware about their legal rights. According to Mr Hooda, till now about 16 lakh cases have been settled in 64000 Lok Adalats organized in Haryana. He said that Haryana has many firsts; the first mobile court was started from Mewat in Haryana. The state has better judicial infrastructure, better than any other state of the country. After Congress government came into being in Haryana in 2005, an amount of Rs 538 crore has been spent on improving judicial infrastructure while only Rs 49 crore were spent during INLD-BJP regime.
Terming the advocates as important part of judicial system, Mr Hooda said that a welfare fund has been constituted for advocates and reservation was also given in draw of plots of HUDA. He announced to give Rs 21 lakh for purchasing books and furniture for library of Gurgaon Judicial Complex from his discretionary quota.
Earlier, Judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court S K Mittal, who is also Executive Chairman of HSLSA, said that the main building of new judicial complex will be 9 storeys which will house 55 court rooms with provision of 10-15 more new court rooms in future. Every floor will have waiting area and sitting place for ADAs. On its first floor, there will be Bar Room with sitting capacity of 1500 persons. For the first time, facility of separate Bar room will be for women advocates and will house a big library on the same floor. The ground floor will have Single Window System and Centralized Filing System. Taking the firing incidents in courts, a provision of separate way and lift for accused coming to courts have been made. The area of ADR Centre here is also double as compared to those of other districts of the state. This ADR Centre will have 20 Mediation Centres while other districts have only 6 Mediation Centers each. There will be separate block for facilities like Banks, Post Offices etc. It will cater to the need of 5000 to 10,000 persons visiting courts daily in Gurgaon.
He said that a National Lok Adalat will be organized on 12th April. Mr Mittal appealed the advocates and litigants to get maximum number of cases settled in this Lok Adalat.
The Administrative Judge of Gurgaon Sessions Division Hemant Gupta and President of District Bar Association Suman Kumar Yadav also addressed the gathering while District & Sessions Judge Gurgaon Shekher Dhawan proposed vote of thanks.
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