HC notice to govt on special courts

Ramashesha and four others had filed a Public Interest Litigation in the High Court stating that the State had set up special courts in accordance with Sections 30 and 31 of  The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, which calls for the setting up of courts at district level.

The State government had also appointed a Special Public Prosecutor for handling the cases. However, the Act itself remained silent on the guidelines or any framework to facilitate operation of the courts, the petitioners stated.

They contended that it was the State’s responsibility to formulate guidelines and that it would be a miscarriage of justice, if it did not act. The division bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar directed the State to file an affidavit on framing rules pertaining to procedures to be followed by district Human Rights courts in dealing with cases.