Supreme Court penalises States, UTs for failing to file counter affidavit on status of Gram Nyayalayas

The Supreme Court today pulled up several States and Union Territories for failing to file their affidavits in the matter concerning setting up of Gram Nyayalayas in the country..The Bench of Justices NV Ramana, Sanjiv Khanna, and Krishna Murari today imposed a penalty of ₹1 lakh on the States and UTs that have failed to file their counter affidavits..While taking stock of the situation weeks after it had issued notice on the plea, the Court took note of the fact that various States had yet not taken steps to initiate the process. They were yet to issue notifications regarding setting up of Gram Nyayalayas.Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioner National Federation of Societies for Fast Justice, urged the Court to ask the reason for the delay in filing counters by the States. The Court then went on to impose the penalty on the erring States..In September last year, the Court had issued notice in the plea seeking the implementation of the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008. The Act is aimed at establishing Gram Nyayalayas at the village level for speedy disposal of matters and access to justice.On the last date of hearing, Bhushan submitted before the Court that there are roughly 50,000 blocks in the country where Gram Nyayalayas are to be set up. While only 320 of these are notified, only 204 such Gram Nyayalayas are in fact functioning..The plea claims that non-establishment of Gram Nyayalayas frustrates statutory rights provided to citizens under the Act as well as the constitutional right of rural citizens to access to justice under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India.The petition also seeks a direction to the Central government to provide adequate financial support for the setting up of Gram Nyayalayas..[Read Order]