Lok Sabha Question No. 3388 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-08
Subject: Establishment of Gram Nyayalayas in Assam
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Shri Pradyut Bordoloi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3388

## TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 8 TH  AUGUST, 2025

## Establishment of Gram Nyayalayas in Assam

3388. Shri Pradyut Bordoloi:

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

- (a) the number of cases pending before district courts in Assam and the Guwahati High Court;
- (b) whether any Gram Nyayalayas have been notified, established, or made functional in Assam under the provisions of the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has observed any measurable benefits or positive outcomes from the functioning of Gram Nyayalayas in States where they have been established, particularly in terms of speedy and accessible rural justice;
- (d) if so, the reasons for the continued delay in bringing the initiative to the North Eastern region; and
- (e)  whether any steps are being undertaken to support and encourage its implementation in the North Eastern region, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  OF  THE  MINISTRY  OF  LAW  AND JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

- (a) As per information available on the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) portal, the details of cases pending in district courts of Assam and the Guwahati High Court are as under: -

| Court                    | Civil    | Criminal   | Total    |
|--------------------------|----------|------------|----------|
| District Courts in Assam | 1,08,997 | 4,38,266   | 5,47,263 |
| Guwahati High Court      | 46,526   | 16,362     | 62,888   |

(b) to (e) The  Government  of  Assam  has  not  notified  or  made  operational  any  Gram Nyayalaya in the State of Assam. As per the Gram Nyayalaya Act, 2008, the State Government, after consultation with the High Court, may, by notification, establish one or more Gram Nyayalayas for every Panchayat at intermediate level or a group of contiguous Panchayats at intermediate level in  a  district  or  where  there  is  no  Panchayat  at  intermediate  level  in  any  State,  for  a  group  of contiguous Gram Panchayats. The Act, therefore, does not make setting up of Gram Nyayalayas mandatory. However, the Department of Justice has been encouraging the States/ UTs and the High Courts for establishment of Gram Nyayalayas. In order to support the establishment and effective functioning of the Gram Nyayalayas, the Department has been implementing the Gram Nyayalaya Scheme,  which  is  a  Sub-scheme  of  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  for  Development  of  Judicial Infrastructure. As per the extant guidelines, the Central Government provides one time assistance to States/UTs for setting up of Gram Nyayalayas, subject to a ceiling of Rs. 18 lakhs per Gram Nyayalaya.  Further,  the  Central  Government  provides  assistance  for  operation  of  the  Gram Nyayalayas for the first three years, subject to a ceiling of Rs. 3.20 lakhs per Gram Nyayalayas per year.

The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 was enacted for the establishment of Gram Nyayalayas at the grass root level for the purposes of providing access to justice to the 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 and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. In order to meet these objectives, the Act has several provisions for speedy trial and disposal of cases such as holding of mobile courts by the Nyayadhikaris, summary trial for criminal cases, plea bargaining, efforts for conciliation and settlement in civil cases, legal aid to the accused etc. A recent third-party evaluation  of  the  Gram  Nyayalayas  Scheme  has,  in  its  findings,  brought  out  that  the  Gram Nyayalayas have been successful in achieving social justice by providing accessible legal recourse to  the  marginalized  communities  in  the  rural  areas. As  per  the  details  available  on  the  Gram Nyayalayas portal, 331 Gram Nyayalayas operational in 10 states have disposed of 4,11,071 cases till 30.06.2025.

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