Fiscal scarcity, remoteness hamper justice: Supreme Court Judge

Source:- india.com

Agartala, March 18 (IANS) The lack of resources and geographical isolation sometimes hamper the delivery of justice, Supreme Court Justice Ranjan Gogoi said here on Saturday.

“Because of lack of economic solvency, geographical isolation and remoteness sometimes justice might not reach to the people at the right time,” Justice Gogoi said after laying the foundation stone of an administrative building of the Tripura High Court.

He said: “Bar Association along with the courts and administrative staffs have equal responsibility to settle the cases early and promptly and to provide justice to the people.”

“When the Tripura High Court was set up in March 2013, the number of pending cases was 6,619 and currently it has been reduced to 2,283 despite the number of cases being filed remaining the same,” the judge said.

“Tripura also settled thousands of cases through Lok Adalats. The disposal rate of cases through Lok Adalats is very significant,” he added.

Justice Gogoi said that the Tripura High Court unlike other High Courts in the country has significantly reduced the pendency of cases.

Tripura High Court Chief Justice T. Vaiphei said he has already directed all the judges and the judicial officers in the state to deal with the witnesses in a friendly manner.

“All concerned in the society are part of the judiciary,” he said.

“I have taken steps to provide early compensation to the road accident victims. At least twice in a week the road accident related matters must be dealt with,” Justice Vaiphei said.

He stressed the need for early disposal of the cases relating to children, women and elderly people, besides cases concerning marriage and domestic issues.

To provide speedy justice to the people, the Tripura High Court Chief Justice wants early filling up of vacant posts and suitable modernisation of the judiciary.

Tripura Law and Education Minister Tapan Chakraborty said the state government is keen to provide social justice to the people and to expand the outreach of the judiciary to remote and hilly areas despite limited resources.

The state government has recently sanctioned Rs 20.70 crore to develop the infrastructure of courts in Tripura.