The High Court of Karnataka is working towards having “no arrears” courts by the end of this year wherein courts will not have any case that is older than five years, said Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka here on Saturday.
Speaking at inauguration of the newly constructed court complex, Mr. Oka said the HC has come out with the policy for clearing backlog of cases in courts. Priority is being given for old cases. Administrative judges are supervising implementation of this policy. “By the end of this year we would have no arrears courts. This means there would be no cases that are older than five years,” he said.
Earlier Minister for Home, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Basavaraj Bommai said the State government will release on February 27 the litigation management policy for reducing litigations from the government.
Me. Bommai said despite working for long hours the judicial officers were finding in hard to clear backlog of cases, which has been increasing. Government is the biggest litigant and it is taking steps to reduce litigations. “We are serious on reducing inter-departmental litigation and litigation between the government and the people,” he said. Mr. Oka will release the policy on February 27, he added.
Supreme Court judge S. Abdul Nazeer, who started his legal practice in Karkala, called upon advocates in Karkala to work towards getting speedy justice for their clients at affordable costs. “You should not seek a percentage in the relief amount or share in the property of your client,” he said.
Justice Suraj Govindaraj, who is administrative judge for Udupi district, and Udupi Principal District and Sessions Judge J.N. Subramanya also spoke.
The new court complex has been constructed at a cost of ₹15.9 crore. The construction has been completed within two years since its commencement
Earlier, Mr. Nazeer and Mr. Oka laid the foundation stone for a three-floor Vakeelara Bhavan in Moodbidri of Dakshina Kannada district at an estimated cost of ₹2.95 crore.