CHANDIGARH, April 24
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal today stressed the need for undertaking reforms to make the judicial system less expensive, quicker and more effective and added that the state government would wholeheartedly support any and every such reform measure.
The Chief Minister was addressing a conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts in New Delhi today.
He said that as adjournments continue to be a cause of concern, courts should begin to impose heavy costs on frivolous requests for adjournments. As per the data available with National Judicial Data Grid, 5,30,301 cases including 2,35,286 civil and 2,95,015 criminal cases are pending in various courts of Haryana. Out of these, 370 (0.07 per cent) cases are more than 10 years old, 5,744 (1.08 per cent) cases are between 5 to 10 years old, 1,11,918 (21.1 per cent) cases are between 2 to 5 years old and 4,12,269 (77.74 per cent) are less than two years old. He congratulated the Punjab and Haryana High Court for having almost eliminated more than five years old cases. He said that we should have a system of normative periods for the disposal of different types of cases and regular review of the progress against these norms. In a way, it will amount to opting the spirit of Right to Service Act in the judicial system, he added.
He said that Haryana Government has earmarked Rs 90 crore to undertake civil works of judicial complexes, creation of additional court rooms and judicial housesin the State during this year, whereas Rs 65 crore were spent last year for the same purpose.
He appreciated that the approved strength of the Judges in Punjab and Haryana High Court has been increased to 85 from 68 during the last one year. However, at present, there are only 46 Judges. The State Government is looking forward to early appointments against the vacancies, he added.He said that in consultation with the High Court, the government has already notified the Courts of Additional District and Sessions Judge First as Commercial Courts, although as per the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Divisions of High Court Act, 2015, it was not mandatory for Haryana to notify Commercial Courts. This step will boost investor’s confidence by assuring expeditious disposal of commercial disputes.
Referring to criminal justice system, he said that State government has taken various measures to empower this branch of the justice system. The Government has provided computers, internet and computer operators in almost all field offices. Also, e-Library facility has been provided to every such office to help our law officers remain updated with latest case laws and judgements of higher courts. The government has sanctioned 21 new posts of District Attorneys and 162 new posts of Assistant District Attorneys against which recruitments shall soon be made by Haryana Public Service Commission. The Government has also trained our 167 Law Officers in Chandigarh Judicial Academy, Chandigarh, Haryana Institute of Public Administration, Gurgaon and Haryana Police Academy, Madhuban.
He said that State Litigation Policy was being revised. The State Government is collaborating with Punjab and UT Administration, Chandigarh so that there is a uniform litigation policy for the entire territorial jurisdiction of Punjab and Haryana High Court. This policy would aim at reducing the potential litigation by and against the governments inter alia by ensuring replies to all legal notices, more responsive appeal decisions, grant of relief to similarly situated persons without court intervention and effective inter-departmental coordination.
He said that the government has constituted the Haryana Statute Review Committee under the chairmanship of Mr. Justice (Retired) Iqbal Singh to look at all the state laws and rules and to recommend not only the repeal of obsolete laws which are no longer relevant but also such amendments in the other Acts and Rules that would ensure better reflection of today’s realities.
He said that State Government has established 21 Fast Track Courts for expeditious trial of offences like heinous crime against women and those under the Domestic Violence Act, Protection of the Child Rights Act, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, those involving differently abled and persons above 65 years of age, under trials who have spent significant time in jail, oldest sessions trial cases and the NDPS Act.
While referring to the Haryana State Legal Services Authority, he said that from January 1, 2015 to January 31,2016, as many as 11 permanent Lok Adalats and eight monthly Lok Adalats were held which settled total of 6,20,207 cases.
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