The Supreme Court of India on November 14 sought a response from all high courts on a 2019 plea seeking a direction to the Centre and all states for taking steps to set up ‘Gram Nyayalayas’ under the supervision of the top court.
- A bench of Justices S A Nazeer and V Ramasubramanian issued notices to the registrar general of all high courts and made them parties in the case.
About Gram Nyayalaya
- To provide access to justice to the citizen at their door steps, the Central Government has enacted the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008.
- It provides for establishment of Gram Nyayalayas at intermediate panchayat level.
- In terms of Section 3 (1) of the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008, the State Governments are responsible for establishing Gram Nyayalayas in consultation with the respective High Courts.
- However, the Act does not make setting up of Gram Nyayalayas mandatory.
- The appointment of Nyayadhikari in Gram Nyayalayas falls within the domain of the State Government.
- The Gram Nyayalaya shall not be bound by the procedure in respect of execution of a decree as provided in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908) and it shall be guided by the principles of natural justice.
- The Gram Nyayalaya shall exercise both civil and criminal jurisdiction in the manner and to the extent provided under this Act.
- The Central Government has been encouraging the States to set up Gram Nyayalayas by providing financial assistance.
- 476 Gram Nyayalayas have been notified so far by 15 States. Out of these 256 are operational in 10 States at present.
- As per the scheme, the Central Government provides one-time assistance to States towards non-recurring expenses for setting up of Gram Nyayalayas subject to a ceiling of Rs. 18.00 lakhs per Gram Nyayalaya.
- The Central Government also provides assistance towards recurring expenses for operating these Gram Nyayalayas subject to a ceiling of Rs. 3.20 lakhs per Gram Nyayalaya per year for the first three years.
