TIRUPPUR: Principal district and sessions judge Sornam J Natrajan has ordered the holding of monthly Lok Adalat in order to address the pendency of cases. According to sources, three-judge posts are vacant. and a total of 4,789 cases are pending trial in various courts in Tiruppur district. Of this, prohibition enforcement cases are at the top (239) followed by POCSO Act cases (137). Many of the cases are pending for as long as four years.
Speaking to TNIE, All India Lawyers Association (Tiruppur) secretary S Ponram said, "There are 18 courts in Tiruppur District Integrated Court complex. While the Principal District Session Court and other courts are functioning in full capacity and there are vacancies in three courts - Judicial Magistrate N0.3, Additional Munsif Court, and Additional District Court No.2. The three courts handle cases related to crime, law and order. Since the vacancies have not been filled for over six months, the number of cases pending trial is increasing."
Social activist N Shanmuga Sundaram said, "Murder cases are disposed of at the earliest, but other criminal cases are pending for several months. This puts the kin of victims to hardship and emotional stress. Further, police ask witnesses to be present for every hearing. Despite that the cases are not disposed of quickly."
Former Tiruppur district advocate association secretary Udhaiyasooriyan said, "We conduct monthly Lok Adalat for fast disposal of cases. Despite this, there are more cases pending for trial.
The primary reason is that new cases under IPC are filed every day in all the courts. In order to reduce the number of pending cases, we are planning to conduct more than one Lok Adalat. Vacancies of judge posts are also creating a big burden, so we have sent a representation to the Chief Justice of Madras High Court requesting him to appoint judges at the earliest." According to sources, in the special Lok Adalat held on June 10, 323 cases were resolved.