The Central government is planning to introduce evening courts on a pilot basis in Delhi, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh to address the growing pending cases and speed up judicial proceedings. The initiative will allow courts to extend their regular working hours into the evening, providing additional time to hear backlog matters and improve the disposal rate.
Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal announced the proposed initiative in an interview with The New Indian Express.
Under the proposed arrangement, courts will extend their sittings by a few additional hours in the evening, currently they are operating during regular daytime hours These sessions will focus on hearing and disposing of pending cases.
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The Centre is also planning to consult and working with the retired judges to preside over the additional proceedings. The project will be implemented in coordination with the respective High Courts.
Three Jurisdictions Selected for Pilot Project
The states covered in the initial rollout are Delhi, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. The government will evaluate the performance of the pilot project to determine whether the project is beneficial enough to extend it to other states and Union Territories.
Focus on Lok Adalats and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Alongside evening courts, the government is exploring other measures to reduce the burden on the judiciary. These include strengthening Lok Adalats and promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms.
The Centre is also encouraging pre-mediation to help parties resolve disputes before they develop into lengthy legal proceedings.
Aim to Speed Up Justice Delivery
The proposed initiative is part of the government's broader efforts to address judicial delays, long awaited hearing dates and improve access to justice.
By extending court hours and involving retired judges, the Centre aims to accelerate case disposal and reduce the pressure on the existing judicial system. The outcome of the pilot project will help determine whether evening courts can be introduced in more parts of the country.
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