First tribal custom court ‘Manki-Munda Nyay Panch’ settles 20-year-old dispute in Jharkhand

RANCHI: Courts besieged by numerous cases across the country could take a leaf out of Jharkhand’s unique tribal court. The first ‘Manki-Munda Nyay Panch’ (tribal custom court) in the eastern part of the state’s Kolhan has settled its first case in record time. It is ready with its ‘Panchat’ (order), which has been sent back to Kolhan civil court from where a formal decree will come. 

The case, pending for two decades in civil courts, was settled in record three hearings at the Nyay Panch.
“The dispute between Narayan Biruli and Sonaram Biruli was pending in the DC court. The case was referred to the tribal custom court on March 22 and was settled after three hearings through consent,” said assistant in-charge of the custom court Dalpat Deogam. 

The state government in 2021 recognised the traditional judicial system prevalent among tribals in the Kolhan division, giving it the power to settle non-criminal land disputes. The Civil Procedure Code (CPC) is not effective in the area to deal with non-criminal matters.

A quasi-police forum of traditional tribal panchayat heads (mankis) at the panchayat level and a quasi-judicial forum and revenue collection by village heads (mundas) were in practice during British rule.