Cabinet nod to Law Ministry proposal to fast track cases

The Union Cabinet gave its approval to the Law Ministry's proposal for operationalising the National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms under which the Centre will bear an estimated expenditure of Rs 5,510 crore over five years till 2016.

The mission's objective is to increase access to justice by reducing delays and arrears and enhanced accountability through structural changes and by setting performance standards.
Its broad areas are policy and legislative changes, re-engineering of procedures, human resource development, leveraging ICT and improve physical infrastructure of subordinate courts.

As part of the proposal, the Ministry plans to share 75 per cent of the grants involved in developing the infrastructure in states to bring down spiralling number of cases, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters here.

For the Northeast region, the Centre will bear 90 per cent of the expenses. So far, the Centre used to share 50 per cent of the grants.

Under the proposal, a mission directorate will be set up to oversee the implementation of the national mission.

It was envisaged in the 'vision statement' adopted by the Conference of Chief Justices and Chief Ministers in October 2009.

The statement contained a road map for improving justice delivery and legal reforms and steps to reduce pendency in courts from 15 to three years by 2012. The deadline has been extended to 2016.