Apex court issues notice to HCs over 'Gram Nyayalayas'

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New Delhi, November 14

The Supreme Court on Monday asked all high courts to respond to a PIL seeking a direction to the Centre and states to take measures to set up “Gram Nyayalayas”.

Noting that the high courts were the supervisory authority, a Bench led by Justice SA Nazeer made the Registrar Generals of all high courts parties to the case. Issuing notices to the high courts, the top court posted the matter for further hearing on December 5.

On behalf of the petitioner NGO National Federation of Societies for Fast Justice and others, advocate Prashant Bhushan told the Bench that despite the top court’s 2020 direction, several states were yet to take action. “Gram Nyayalayas” should be such that people can articulate their grievances without the need of a lawyer, Bhushan submitted.

The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008, provided for “Gram Nyayalayas” at the grassroots level for providing access to speedy and affordable justice to citizens at the doorstep and to ensure that opportunities for securing justice were not denied to anyone on account of social, economic or other disabilities.

The petition, filed in 2019, said Sections 5 and 6 of the 2008 Act provided that the state government, in consultation with the high court, will appoint a “Nyayadhikari” for each “Gram Nyayalaya’, who will be eligible for appointment as judicial magistrate of the first class.

Law passed in 2008

• The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008, provides for ‘Gram Nyayalayas’ at the grassroots level for access to speedy and affordable justice
• Sections 5 and 6 of the Act says states, in consultation with the HCs, will appoint a ‘Nyayadhikari’ for each ‘Gram Nyayalaya’