KOCHI: The much-awaited Local Self-Government Tribunal has started its sitting in Kochi. The tribunal is situated at Thrikkakara.
The sitting commenced on the basis of directions issued by the Kerala High Court on the batch of petitions seeking a directive to start the sitting of of the Local Self-Government Tribunal in all districts in Kerala.
Interestingly the Kochi Corporation had denied space for the tribunal though they have building just in front of the High Court where the Industrial Tribunal was working.
The duty of the Tribunal for Local Self-Government Institutions is to consider and settle appeals and revision against the decisions of the Local Self- Government Institutions.The Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 , Section 271 S, mandates the establishment of Tribunals for Local Self Government institutions for each District.
But the Government of Kerala constituted only one Tribunal at Thiruvananthapuram in February, 2004, due to lack of funds.
Though a decade has crossed, the state government has not taken any effective measures to constitute similar tribunals in each district in the state. In addition, camp sittings have not been conducted causing various difficulties to the common people who have to travel several miles seeking justice. Hence petitions were filed before the Kerala High court.
The state government had submitted that it could hold sittings for the time being in Ernakulam and Kozhikode apart from its headquarters at Thiruvananthapuram. Recording the submission, the court had directed that all necessary facilities for camp sittings in two districts should be made available within two months.