Kerala - Kannur   

`Move to mar courts' credibility harmful'

Staff Reporter

Government urged to review move to set up Bench

KANNUR: High Court judge J.B. Koshi has said that attempts to cast aspersion on the credibility of courts will not serve public interest as people have more expectation of courts.

He was laying the foundation stone for the building to mark the centenary celebration of courts here on Sunday.

Mr. Koshi said courts were the only relief for the public when corruption prevailed in every sector.

He said better infrastructure was required for the proper functioning of the courts and timely disposal of cases. Shortage of staff also hindered the effective functioning of the courts.

Even the number of cases had increased, he said adding that 45,000 writ petitions had been filed in the High Court last year.

More cases were now being settled through adalats and pre-litigation. Judicial officers were working hard to ensure timely disposal of cases.

Clients

He urged lawyers to give more importance to sincerity and integrity than to money. Mr. Koshi said lawyers should initiate steps to settle cases and they would thus secure more clients.

Some people sought the help of the underworld instead of approaching courts owing to the delay in disposal of cases. The judge pointed out that the lower judiciary in the State was very efficient. Referring to the speech of Kannur MLA K. Sudhakaran, who presided over the function, in which he said that the Government decision to establish a High Court Bench in the capital city would not be in the interests of the people of the Malabar region, Mr. Koshi said that the High Court had not given its consent to the proposal for the Bench.

The High Court had learned about the move through the media, he said. Mr. Koshi, however, added that he could not dwell much on the issue as two litigations had been filed in the High Court against the decision.

Litigants

Mr. Sudhakaran said the people of the move to set up the Bench in Thiruvananthapuram would hit the people in the six northern districts.

As 60 per cent of cases in the High Court were Government-related, litigants in the northern districts would have to travel all the way to the capital city.

He urged the Government and the High Court to review the decision and set up the Bench in Kozhikode.

Azhikode MLA M. Prakashan, Principal District Judge S. Sathinathan, District Family Court Judge P.K. Lakshmanan and municipal chairman K. Upendran were present at the function.

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