The Hindu : Karnataka News : Permanent Lok Adalats in all districts soon

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 21, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Permanent Lok Adalats in all districts soon

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELGAUM, MARCH 20. The Government has decided to set up permanent Lok Adalats in all districts to accelerate the process of justice delivery and strengthen the alternative justice delivery system. The Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, H.K. Patil, said here today that the Government will first set up such courts in five districts on an experimental basis. Later, steps will be taken to set up the courts in other districts. The five districts where the courts will be set up are yet to be chosen.

Mr. Patil was addressing a gathering of advocates on the occasion of the inauguration of the Belgaum Bar Association's Samudaya Bhavan.

There are more than four crore cases pending in different courts in the country, including 14.5 lakhs in Karnataka alone. If things move at this pace, it will take at least 35 years to dispose of them. "Justice delayed is justice denied," he said.

He expressed concern over the manner in which the "witnesses" are treated inside and outside courts.

Observing that the treatment meted out to a witness is no better than that given to an accused, he said the fact is that a witness is one of the three most important persons along with the lawyer and judge responsible for determining the truth.

The attitude towards witnesses must change and they should be treated with dignity and honour. Therefore, he said the Government has decided to create separate corridors/rooms where the witness could sit with honour and dignity.

Stating that the Government has provided Rs. 25 crores for constructing about 200 buildings to house various courts, including those to accommodate permanent Lok Adalats, Mr. Patil said the work on constructing separate rooms for witnesses will first commence in Belgaum. Engineers of the Public Works Department have been instructed to identify the area for it.

He also announced that the work on construction of advocates' chambers will first start in Belgaum and then in other district courts.

However, the construction of these chambers will depend on the availability of space in courts.

Libraries

He asked the Bar associations to help set up libraries which, he said, will not cost more than Rs. 8 lakhs.

He promised government assistance to the extent of 50 per cent of the cost of construction. While complimenting the Belgaum Bar Association and Justice P. Vishwanath Shetty, judge, High Court of Karnataka and administrative judge for Belgaum district, who was instrumental in the construction of Samudaya Bhavan here, Mr. Patil said these structures will become meaningful if they become a forum for healthy debates and discussions on issues related to the justice delivery system.

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