Lok Sabha Question No. 790 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-07
Subject: Gram Nayayalayas
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: LAKHAN LAL SAHU

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW & JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †790

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 07 TH  FEBRUARY, 2018.

## Gram Nayayalayas

## †790. SHRI LAKHAN LAL SAHU:

## Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  to  set  up  Gram  Nayayalayas  to provide speedy, effective and easy justice to the people at their doorsteps and to curtail the number of pending cases;
- (b) if so, the details and the present status thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  requested  the  States  to  implement  the  Gram Nayayalayas Act on an urgent basis;
- (d) if so, the State / UT-wise details of the demands made for the implementation of the Gram Nayayalayas Act and the actions taken by the Government thereon;
- (e) the details of the Central assistance provided to each State and Union Territory for setting up of Gram Nayayalayas during the last three years and the current year; and
- (f) the time by which Gram Nayayalayas are likely to be functional in all the States?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW AND JUSTICE AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS (SHRI P. P. CHAUDHARY)

(a)  to  (c):  In  terms  of  Section  3  (1)  of  the  Gram  Nyayalayas  Act,  2008,  the  State Governments are responsible for establishing Gram Nyayalayas in consultation with the respective High Courts.  The Central Government has been requesting States and High Courts  for  establishment  of  Gram  Nyayalayas  in  the  respective  States.  The  Gram Nyayalayas  Act,  2008  provides  special  procedure  for  both  criminal  and  civil  disputes. Section 19 (1) of the Act inter-alia provides for summary procedure for criminal offences. Section  24  of  the  Act inter-alia provides  that  hearing  shall  be  continued  on  day  to  day basis  until  its  conclusion  and  that  suit,  claim,  application,  filed  under  the  Act  shall  be disposed of within a period of six months from the date of its institution.

(d) & (e): State-wise details of Gram Nyayalayas notified and operationalised by the State Governments so far, and the financial assistance provided to State Governments during last three years and current year for setting up of Gram Nyayalayas are as under:

(Rs. in lakh)

| S No   | State          |   Notified |   Functional |   2014-15 |   2015-16 |   2016-17 |   2017-18 |
|--------|----------------|------------|--------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| 1      | Madhya Pradesh |         89 |           89 |      0    |         0 |         0 |         0 |
| 2      | Rajasthan      |         45 |           45 |     71.78 |         0 |         0 |         0 |
| 3      | Karnataka      |          2 |            0 |      0    |         0 |         0 |         0 |
| 4      | Orissa         |         16 |           13 |      0    |       211 |         0 |         0 |
| 5      | Maharashtra    |         23 |           23 |    100.8  |         0 |         0 |        79 |
| 6      | Jharkhand      |          6 |            1 |      0    |         0 |         0 |         0 |
| 7      | Goa            |          2 |            0 |      0    |         0 |         0 |         0 |
| 8      | Punjab         |          2 |            1 |      0    |         0 |         0 |         0 |
| 9      | Haryana        |          2 |            2 |      0    |         0 |         0 |         0 |
| 10     | Uttar Pradesh  |        104 |            4 |    127.42 |         0 |       500 |       346 |
| 11.    | Kerala         |         30 |           30 |      0    |         0 |         0 |       375 |
| Total  | Total          |        321 |          208 |    300    |       211 |       500 |       800 |

(f) : The issues affecting operationalization of the Gram Nyayalayas were discussed in the Conference of Chief Justices of High Courts and Chief Ministers of the States on 7 th April, 2013.  It was, inter-alia , decided in the Conference that the State Governments and High Courts  should  decide  the  question  of  establishment  of  Gram  Nyayalayas,  wherever feasible, taking into account the local issues and situation.

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