Expert Committee Submits its Report on Determining Methodology for Fixing National Minimum Wage, Ministry of Labour and Employment Click here

Gram Nyayalayas or Village Courts

From Arthapedia
Jump to: navigation, search

Gram Nyayalayas are mobile village courts in India established under Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008  for speedy and easy access to justice system in the rural areas of India. They are aimed at providing inexpensive justice to people in rural areas at their doorsteps. The Act came into force on October 2, 2009 i.e. the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. (Gram stands for village; Nyay stands for Justice and Aalya stands for House/centre etc)

Gram Nyayalaya is a mobile court and exercises the powers of both Criminal and Civil Courts; i.e., the seat of the Gram Nyayalaya will be located at the headquarters of the intermediate Panchayat, but they will go to villages, work there and dispose of the cases. It can try criminal cases, civil suits, claims or disputes which are specified in the First Schedule and the Second Schedule to the Gram Nyayalaya Act and the scope of these cases can be amended by the Central as well as the State Governments, as per their respective legislative competence;

The Gram Nyayalaya are supposed to try to settle the disputes as far as possible by bringing about conciliation between the parties and for this purpose, it can make use of the appointed conciliators. The judgment and order passed by the Gram Nyayalaya are deemed to be a decree and to avoid delay in its execution, the Gram Nyayalaya can follow summary procedure for its execution.

Gram Nyayalaya are courts of Judicial Magistrate of the first class and its presiding officer (Nyayadhikari) is appointed by the State Government in consultation with the High Court of the State concerned; The Nyayadhikaris who will preside over these Gram Nyayalayas are strictly judicial officers and will be drawing the same salary and deriving the same powers as First Class Magistrates working under High Courts.

The Gram Nyayalaya will not be bound by the rules of evidence provided in the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 but shall be guided by the principles of natural justice and subject to any rule made by the High Court; 

Appeal in criminal cases shall lie to the Court of Session, which shall be heard and disposed of within a period of six months from the date of filing of such appeal. Appeal in civil cases shall lie to the District Court, which shall be heard and disposed of within a period of six months from the date of filing of the appeal.

In terms of Section 3(1) of the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008, it is for the State Governments to establish Gram Nyayalayas in consultation with the respective High Courts. More than 5000 Gram Nyayalayas are expected to be set up under the Act.  Around 194 such courts have been set up as on March 2015.

Sl.No. State Gram Nyayalayas Notified till date
1. Madhya Pradesh 89
2. Rajasthan 45
3. Karnataka 2
4. Orissa 16
5. Maharashtra 18
6. Jharkhand 6
7. Goa 2
8. Punjab 2
9. Haryana 2
10. Uttar Pradesh 12
Total 194
Source: PIB release of 10 March 2015

The Central Government meets the non-recurring expenditure on the establishment of these Gram Nyayalayas subject to a ceiling of Rs. 18.00 lakhs out of which Rs. 10.00 lakhs is for construction of the court, Rs. 5.00 lakhs for vehicle and Rs. 3.00 lakhs for office equipment. Central and State Governments also incur some recurring expenditure on salaries etc.

The setting up of Gram Nyayalayas is considered as an important measure to reduce arrears and is a part of the judicial reforms. It is estimated that Gram Nyayalayas can reduce around 50% of the pendency of cases in subordinate courts and can take care of the new litigations which will be disposed within six months.

Reluctance of police officials and other State functionaries to invoke jurisdiction of Gram Nyayalayas, lukewarm response of the Bar, non-availability of notaries and stamp vendors, problem of concurrent jurisdiction of regular courts etc. are some of the issues indicated by the States which are coming in the way of operationalisation of the Gram Nayayalayas. Further, majority of States have now set up regular courts at Taluk level, thus reducing the demand for gram nayayalayas.


References

Source: PIB releases of Ministry of Law and Justice (Department of Justice), Government of India dated September 29, 2009

Source: Department of Justice,Department of Justice,

Personal tools
Variants
Actions
Navigation
Concepts
Share Tools
Toolbox
Translate