Thread: Wheels of Justice ............

Wheels of Justice ............
LETTER (August 19 2010): This is with reference to the article published in a local newspaper on Saturday 7th August 2010 with the caption "Wheels of Justice". To reduce the burden of courts and to ease the litigants, in India, there is a legal services authority at centre, headed by the chief justice of supreme court and at provincial and district levels, headed by the chief justices of the high courts and district and sessions judges respectively.

Some of the functions of the Authority are developing awareness of the poor segment of society about their rights and obligations under relevant laws, developing awareness of litigants about advantages and disadvantage of settling the matters outside the Court and other welfare related matters. The authority, with the support of relevant government officials, politicians, lawyers and representatives of civil society successfully introduced Lok Adalats and now Mobile Courts. Through these courts large number of cases, which were pending for a very long time, were successfully settled.

In Pakistan, there is a dire need to have simi1ar courts to reduce the burden of the courts and to provide timely justice to the litigants. As it is our legal process is very lengthy. It provides for review, revision and appeals against every judgement, which is necessary to meet the ends of justice. At the same time, it causes inordinate delay in getting justice resulting in huge financial loss to the litigant. "Justice delayed is justice denied" is being experienced in both the countries.

The courts are overloaded with work. Litigation has become very expensive. In Karachi, a Dispute Resolution Centre has been established. It is a good effort, but since it is a voluntary arrangement for mediation, it only serves the cause of litigants who, on their own, decide to go in for mediation. The poorer segment of society, which also lacks education, cannot, on their own, decide whether settlement outside the court or continued litigation is in their interest. They need guidance from people whom they can trust and who have the ability and authority.

Through this letter I would request the officials / authorities particularly in superior judiciary, to review Indian Legal Services Authorities Act and develop similar structure for establishment of peoples courts and mobile courts, in Pakistani. To start with, such courts can be established for settlement of labour disputes, family disputes etc, where mostly poorer section of society in involved.


by: A. H. HAIDRI (KARACHI)

thanx 4 sharing sis

Thanx 4 sharing

Thanks For SharinG!