Centre gets tough with  states on court spendings

The Ministry of Law and Justice has asked all 24 HCs to produce fund utilisation certificates for sanctioned work before seeking more funds for future projects.
Centre gets tough with  states on court spendings

NEW DELHI:  The Ministry of Law and Justice has asked all 24 HCs to produce fund utilisation certificates for sanctioned work before seeking more funds for future projects.


At present, India is facing pendency of cases to the order of almost three crore, but lack of judicial infrastructure, including an increase in the number of unfilled vacancies, is adding to the delay in the justice delivery system.


In the latest communication sent to all HC, the ministry has said that preference would be given to those states and HCs which have achieved certain targets, such as the availability of court rooms and residential units for judicial officers, percentage reduction in pendency of cases of more than five years old in the district courts and the conversion of courts buildings into e-courts compatible.


Under the revised guidelines, which would come into effect on April 1, it has been  made mandatory to submit quarterly progress reports of the projects sanctioned under the scheme to the Department of Justice. Also, it is mandatory for every state to have model courts in place. Under the 13th finance commission `5,000 crore has been allocated for the creation of court infrastructure.


“Model courts should be citizen-friendly in its access to information, delivery of services, efficient in terms of time and cost to litigants, litigants should be reasonably certain as to when the case would come up for trial,” the guidelines stated. 


Though the development of infrastructure for judiciary is the primary responsibility of the state governments, a centrally sponsored scheme for development of infrastructure facilities for judiciary is being implemented for the construction of court buildings for district and subordinate courts and residential units for judicial officers.

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