IMPHAL, April 10: The strength of judges in the High Court and Subordinate Courts in Manipur has remained stagnant for the last more than 30 years which has made the public litigants reluctant with the state judiciary, stated a senior advocate of the state during a recent function.
Addressing the recently held inauguration ceremony of the functioning of the Imphal Bench of Guahati High Gourt from the new HC complex, N Kumarjit a senior advocate and president of the High Court Bar Association, Manipur had placed several issues faced by the judicial in the state.
Justice Altamas Kabir of the Supreme Court of India had inaugurated the functioning of Imphal Bench of Gauhati High Court of the newly constructed High Court Complex at Chingmeirong.
Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and other judges of the Supreme Court of India including Justice AK Patnaik, Justice Gyan Sudha Misra and Justice Jasti Chelameswar were also present at the inauguration.
He further expressed that with only 32 posts in the subordinate judiciary including three administrative posts-Registrar (Judl) and member secretary Legal Service authority, the strength of judges in the High Court and Subordinate courts in the state is very low and inadequate.
There are only 29 courts including two District and Sessions, two Additional District and Sessions, one Tribunal (MACT/Revenue/others), twelve CJMs/ Civil Judge Senior Divisions, nine JMICs/ Civil Judge (Junior Division) and one JMIC (Transport), Kumarjit had said.
He said there are no separate court for CBI/NIA/Electricity and others in Manipur and there are also vacancies at every level and because of these a civil/criminal trial takes more than 20 years in getting disposal owing to which has only made the public litigants reluctant of the judiciary.
The state of Manipur at present needs one district and sessions Court with Additional District and Sessions, and one Civil judge senior Division for each district besides one CJM in the district, Kumarjit said and further added that there should be one JMIC / Civil Judge Junior Division for each sub-divisional area and five more such courts in the capital city Imphal municipal area where 80 per cent of the total population of Manipur is inhabiting.
He had also said that separate courts for CBI /NI*A five MAC Tribunals, four more family courts, four more courts under NDPS Act are required to be established in the state.
It is a fact that the strength of judges population ratio recommended by the Law commission and direction to all authorities to increase judge strength five-fold by the Supreme Court of India in All India Judges Association case (2004) 4 SCC 247 within five years at Para 25 of the Judgement dated March 21, 2003 has not been made known or taken care of by the Law department, government of Manipur, he had stated during his address.
The present strength of judges in the state remains stagnant for the last 30 years, but the population of Manipur and number of litigation have been increasing in multiples and multiples which have resulted in the high increase of pendency of cases in the Subordinate Judiciary, Kumarjit further said, adding that it is expected that authorities concerned shall make all efforts to increase the strength of judicial officers in the state.
He went on saying that for effective administration of justice the Law department is also required to be named by members of judicial service in all grades as done in almost all the other states of India.
It is also worth to mention that to have a separate High Court for Manipur is the long pending demand of the Bar and that there should have been a High Court when Manipur attained statehood on January 21, 1972 enshrined under Article 214 of The Constitution of India, Kumarjit further said.
He also said the Bar be permitted to make a special request to all authorities concerned particularly the state Chief Minister to remind and pressed the Prime Minister to institute a separate High Court for Manipur by passing a Bill in the coming Parliament session.