Supreme Court directs States/UTs and their High Courts to file status report on Gram Nyayalayas | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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    Supreme Court directs States/UTs and their High Courts to file status report on Gram Nyayalayas

    Posted 15 Jul 2024

    2 min read

    Gram Nyayalayas aims to provide access, affordable and quick justice to the citizens at their door steps and de-clog local courts.

    Key Features of Gram Nyayalayas 

    • These have statuary backing under the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008.
      • Act exempts States of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and  tribal areas specified in the Act. 
    • Seat of gram nyayalayas is located at the headquarters of the intermediate Panchayat
    • Status: Gram Nyayalayas are deemed to be a Court of Judicial Magistrate of First Class.
      • State government appoints 'Nyayadhikari' for each Gram Nyayalaya in consultation with the high court. 
    • Jurisdiction: Shall be a mobile court and both civil and criminal jurisdiction to settle petty disputes at the village level.
    • Dispute ProcessDisputes are to be settled with the help of conciliation between the parties. 
      • These are not bound by the rules of evidence provided in the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 but by Principles of Natural Justice
        • Indian Evidence Act, 1872 has been recently replaced by the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam.
    • Appeals: Appeal in criminal cases lie to the Court of Session and in civil cases lie to the district court, shall be disposed within 6 months from the date of filing an appeal.

     

    Key issues associated with Gram Nyayalayas

    • Poor implementation: As against a requirement of 6,000-odd gram nyayalayas, only 481 have been set up, but only 309 among them are functional.
    • The Act does not make setting up of Gram Nyayalayas mandatory: Section 3 of the Act provides that state governments "may" constitute Gram Nyayalayas.
    • States such as Jharkhand and Bihar resisted the gram nyayalayas in tribal or scheduled areas, saying local or traditional laws were predominantly followed there.

    Initiative to Support Gram Nyayalayas

    • Under Gram Nyayalayas scheme (Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS)), Union Government provides financial assistance to States to set up Gram Nyayalayas.
    • Tags :
    • Gram Nyayalayas
    • Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008
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