State to withdraw minor crime cases to reduce backlog in courts: Himanta

Guwahati: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the Assam government has decided to withdraw minor crime cases to reduce the backlog in various courts of the state, following PM Narendra Modi’s call for providing ease of justice.
About 27,000 such cases have already been withdrawn so far and the move is likely to help dispose of one lakh pending criminal cases, which will reduce the burden of lower courts, he added.
Sarma was speaking at the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Gauhati HC in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu, governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Union law and justice minister Kiren Rijiju.
The CM said, “Cases punishable up to three years with or without fine and registered were taken into consideration for withdrawal barring the cases of heinous nature.” He appreciated the role played by the HC as the true guardian of human rights, protector of the Constitution and promoter of our age-old democratic ethos.