BHUBANESWAR: As many as 119 blocks in Odisha do not have Civil Judge-cum-JMFC court. Admitting this, the state government on Wednesday said plans are afoot to establish 16 courts in 13 districts and a decision on opening courts in other places will be taken keeping the financial condition of the state in mind.
Replying to a question by senior Congress legislator Bhupinder Singh in the Assembly, Law Minister Pratap Jena said a high-level committee on February 28 has decided to open Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division)-cum-Assistant Sessions Judge at five places and Additional District and Sessions Judge at 10 places in the state.
While Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division)-cum-Assistant Sessions Judge will be opened at Jaipatna in Kalahandi district, Purusottampur in Ganjam district, G Udaygiri in Kandhamal district, Kantamal in Boudh district and Hinjilicut in Ganjam district, Additional District and Sessions Judge Court will be opened at Bargarh, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Nilagiri in Balasore, Udala in Mayurbhanj, Pattamundai in Kendrapara and Khariar in Nuapada.
The Law Minister also informed the House that the high-level committee has decided to open a Civil Judge (Junior Division)-cum-JMFC court at Narla in Kalahandi district and a proposal to establish a Sub-Judge Court at Madanpur Rampur in Kalahandi district is under consideration of the High Court.
As per the information laid before the House, Mayurbhanj district has highest 19 blocks which do not have a Civil Judge-cum-JMFC court, followed by seven blocks each in Balangir, Sambalpur and Sundargarh districts.