Lok Sabha Question No. 2920 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-17
Subject: Disposal of Cases by Gram Nyayalayas
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Ramdas Chandrabhanji Tadas

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †2920 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 17 TH  MARCH, 2023

Disposal of Cases by Gram Nyayalayas

†2920. SHRI RAMDAS C. TADAS:

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

- (a) whether Gram Nyayalayas are set up or proposed to be set up to dispose of cases in view of the huge number of cases pending in district courts;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the details of steps taken to dispose of the pending cases in district courts across the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a)  &  (b):    Gram  Nyayalayas  were set up under the Gram Nyayalayas Act 2008 at the grass root level for the purpose of providing access to justice to the rural citizens at their doorsteps  and  to  ensure  that  opportunities  for  securing  justice  are  not  denied  to  any citizen  by  reason of social, economic  or  other  disabilities.  The  concerned  State Governments are responsible for establishing Gram Nyayalayas in consultation with the respective High Courts. However, it is not mandatory for the states to set up the Gram Nyayalayas. The state-wise details of Gram Nyayalayas notified and made functional are as follows:

|   Sl. No. | State/UTs      |   Gram Nyayalayas Notified |   Gram Nyayalayas Functional |
|-----------|----------------|----------------------------|------------------------------|
|         1 | Madhya Pradesh |                         89 |                           89 |
|         2 | Rajasthan      |                         45 |                           45 |
|         3 | Kerala         |                         30 |                           30 |

| 4     | Maharashtra    |   36 |   23 |
|-------|----------------|------|------|
| 5     | Odisha         |   24 |   20 |
| 6     | Uttar Pradesh  |  113 |   51 |
| 7     | Karnataka      |    2 |    2 |
| 8     | Haryana        |    2 |    2 |
| 9     | Punjab         |    9 |    2 |
| 10    | Jharkhand      |    6 |    1 |
| 11    | Goa            |    2 |    0 |
| 12    | Andhra Pradesh |   42 |    0 |
| 13    | Telangana      |   55 |    0 |
| 14    | Jammu &Kashmir |   20 |    0 |
| 15    | Ladakh         |    2 |    0 |
| Total | Total          |  477 |  265 |

(c):  The  steps  taken  to  dispose  of  the  pending  cases  in  the  district  courts  across  the country are as under:

The disposal of pending cases in the Courts lies exclusively within the domain of the  judiciary.  The  Central  Government  has  no  direct  role  in  the  matter.  However,  the Government has taken several initiatives to provide suitable environment for expeditious disposal of cases by the judiciary. Central Government started the National Mission for Justice  Delivery  and  Legal  Reforms  in  August,  2011  with  the  twin  objectives  of increasing access by reducing delays and arrears in the system and enhancing accountability  through  structural  changes  and  by  setting  performance  standards  and capacities. The Mission has been pursuing a coordinated approach for phased liquidation of  arrears  and  pendency  in  judicial  administration,  which,  inter-alia,  involves  better infrastructure for courts, including computerization, an increase in strength of subordinate judiciary,  policy  and  legislative  measures  in  the areas  prone  to  excessive  litigation,  reengineering  of  court  procedure  for  quick  disposal  of  cases  and  emphasis  on  human resource development.

Further,  for  improving  the  infrastructure  for  Judicial  Officers  of  District  and Subordinate Courts, as on date, Rs. 9812.82 crores have been released since the inception of  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  (CSS)  for  Development  of  Infrastructure  Facilities for the Judiciary in 1993-94. As a result, the number of court halls has increased from 15,818 as on 30.06.2014 to 21,295 as on 13.03.2023, and number of residential units has increased from 10,211 as on 30.06.2014 to 18,741 as on 13.03.2023, under this scheme. In  addition,  2,488  court halls  and 1,305 residential units are under construction (as per NyayaVikas Portal).

Besides, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been leveraged for improving justice delivery under the e-Courts Mission Mode Project. As a result, the number  of  computerised  district  &  subordinate  courts  has  increased  to  18,735  so  far. WAN connectivity  has  been  provided  to  99.4%  of  court  complexes.  All  stakeholders, including judicial officers can access information relating to judicial proceedings/decisions of computerized district & subordinate courts and high courts on the  National  Judicial  Data  Grid  (NJDG).  Video  conferencing  facility  has  been  enabled between  3,240  court  complexes  and  1,272  corresponding  jails.  21  virtual  courts  have been set  up  in  17  States/UTs.  As  on  31.01.2023,  these  courts  have  handled  more  than 2.53 crore cases and realized more than Rs. 359 crores in fines.

Also, Arrears Committees have been set up in all 25 High Courts to clear cases pending for more than five years.  Arrears Committees have been set up under District courts as well.

Vacancies are being filled up in the Supreme Court, High Courts and District and Subordinate Courts regularly. From 01.05.2014 to 07.03.2023, 54 Judges were appointed in Supreme Court. 887 new Judges were appointed and 646 Additional Judges were made permanent in the High Courts. Sanctioned strength of Judges of High Courts has been increased from 906 in May, 2014 to 1114 currently. Sanctioned and working strength of judicial officers in district and subordinate courts has increased as follow:

| As on      | Sanctioned Strength   | Working Strength   |
|------------|-----------------------|--------------------|
| 31.12.2013 | 19,518                | 15,115             |
| 13.03.2023 | 25,189                | 19,520             |

Filling  up  of  vacancies  in  subordinate  judiciary  falls  within  the  domain  of  the State Governments and high courts concerned.

Under the aegis of the Fourteenth Finance Commission, the Government of India established Fast Track Courts for cases of heinous crimes, cases involving senior citizens, women, children, etc. As on 31.01.2023, 843 Fast Track Courts are functional for heinous crimes,  crimes  against  women,  and  children  etc.  Further,  the  central  government  has approved  a  scheme  for  setting  up  1023  Fast  Track  Special  Courts  (FTSCs)  across  the country  for  the  expeditious  disposal  of  pending  cases  of  Rape  under  IPC  and  crimes under POCSO Act. As on date, 28 States/UTs have joined the scheme.

In addition, to reduce pendency and unclogging of the courts, the Government has recently amended various laws like the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Act, 2018, the Commercial Courts (Amendment) Act, 2018, the Specific Relief (Amendment) Act, 2018, the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Act, 2019 and the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2018.

Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) is being promoted wholeheartedly. With this aim  in  view,  the  Commercial  Courts  Act,  2015  was  amended  on  20th  August,  2018, making it mandatory to go for Pre-institution Mediation and Settlement (PIMS) in case of commercial disputes. Amendment to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 has been made  by  the  Arbitration  and  Conciliation  (Amendment)  Act  2015  for  expediting  the speedy resolution of disputes by prescribing timelines.

Under  the  Legal  Services  Authorities  (LSA)  Act,  1987,  an  award  made  by  a LokAdalat is deemed to be a decree of a civil court and is final and binding on all parties and no appeal lies against thereto before any court.  As per Section 19 of the LSA Act, 1987,  LokAdalats  are  organized  by  Legal  Services  Institutions  as  per  requirement. National  LokAdalats  are  organized  simultaneously  in  all  Taluks,  Districts  and  High Courts on a pre-fixed date.

The Government launched the Tele-Law programme in 2017, which provided an effective  and  reliable  e-interface  platform  connecting  the  needy  and  disadvantaged sections seeking legal advice and consultation with panel lawyers via video conferencing, telephone and chat facilities available at the Common Service Centres (CSCs) situated in Gram Panchayat and through Tele-Law mobile App.

Efforts  have  been  made  to  institutionalize  pro  bono  culture  and  pro  bono lawyering  in  the  country.  A  technological  framework  has  been  put  in  place  where advocates volunteering to give their time and services for pro bono work can register as Pro  Bono  Advocates  on  Nyaya  Bandhu  (Android  &  iOS  and  Apps).  Nyaya  Bandhu Services also available  on UMANG Platform. Pro Bono Panel of advocates have been initiated  in  21  High  Courts  at  the  State  level.  Pro  Bono  Clubs  have  been  started  in  69 select Laws Schools to instill Pro Bono culture in budding lawyers.

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