The ideas and experiences, Modi shared in the conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of states

By our correspondent, New Delhi, 7 April 2013

Following are the highlights of Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s speech at the conference of Chief Justices and Chief Ministers held in New Delhi today:

-Modi favored judicial reforms.

-Modi suggested to start grading of various courts starting from taluka level to state level. He said parameters for standardization of gradings of various categories should be outlined.

-Modi pointed out that the government of India has stopped its project for fast track courts. The centre needs to rethink its decision in this regard. He said the centre suddenly stopped the fast track scheme, but Apex court intervened and extended the period to March 2011, after which the project is stopped. Gujarat had 166 fast track courts that contributed disposal of 4 lakh cases. Common man had faith in this system, but it was closed. Gujarat government has continued with 45 fast track courts spending its own resources. In this regard, union Law minister supported Modi’s view.

-Modi said that in year 2009, in similar conference, the idea of Gram Nyayalay was discussed, but the project has not been fruitful. Modi said he raised doubt over such project in 2009 itself and the results are according to it. There are only 152 Gram Nayayalay functional in India’s only four states. Optionally, Gujarat government has developed a system of Taluka courts network. Such courts can organize mobile camp once a week and can take the justice system to taluka level. Such network of Taluka courts can be set up. In this connection, the Chief Justice of Gujarat supported the idea of Taluka court and said that Taluka courts are functional in 183 talukas of Gujarat at present, and rest of talukas too will get such courts. He said thanks to this system a common man gets the facility of court in 20 km radius. Union Law minister agreed to this and said that mobile tehsil courts will be started.

-Chief Minister Modi gave an example of success of Gujarat’s evening courts and said that there are 102 evening courts that have given justice to poor people in nine lakh cases.

-Modi said, he had suggested several things five years back to decrease the burden of growing number of pending cases. These three suggestions were; to increase daily hours of courts, setting up evening courts, and narrowing down the vacations. He said Gujarat has taken these three steps and tasted good results.

-Modi again gave an example of Gujarat and said that most of district courts in Gujarat are connected through GSWAN. All taluka level court bar associations are connected to e-library network of law books.

-Modi suggested appointment of non-judicial staff and separate system of court management. He said Gujarat has taken such initiative and has appointed two court manager in the high court and one-one manager in each district court. Thus total 25 court managers are appointed as non-judicial persons.

-Modi said Gujarat has set up a system of training for justice system with cooperation of Forensic Science University and Raksha Shakti University. Courts of other states can also take advantage of this system.

-Modi said hearing and legal processes should be held in regional languages. The courts should function in regional language.

-Modi said that children observation homes, old age homes and remand homes should be brought under common umbrella. He said there should be a data bank of children in remand homes, observation homes and orphanage. There should be a separate mechanism based on technology on national level.