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Special courts on graft needed: PM
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 19
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said corruption was posing a serious challenge to both government and judiciary. Speaking at a conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of the High Courts the PM also spoke in favour of setting up special courts to combat the menace. Also speaking at the same conference the Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan sought “serious judicial reforms”.

Favouring serious judicial reforms, the CJI said adequate laws, institutional mechanism and sufficient infrastructure were also needed, otherwise people’s rights would remain a mere theoretical matter. He also said excessive delays, unfair procedures and unreasonable costs would leave the judicial machinery ineffective.

The CJ stressed upon the need for quick disposal of cases registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act and favoured the creation of special vigilance courts. He said despite repeated efforts, allocation of funds for starting new courts were not very encouraging.The CJI also demanded higher budgetary allocation for setting up new courts to combat the issue of pending cases. “We receive rebuke from the public for many things for which we are not responsible”, the CJI said, referring to the limitations under which the judiciary worked.

The Prime Minister said he fully agreed with the suggestion of the CJI that there was an urgent need to set up special courts. He also added that the central government would help states to set up family courts as many of them had so far failed to discharge their legal obligation in this regard. He said litigants, mostly from socially and economically weaker sections of the society, still had to travel long distances to seek relief. The PM added, “The Centre is willing to help states in constructing new court buildings and residential accommodation for judges”.

To tackle the issue of pending cases, measures like increasing the number of judges was a viable solution. Steps in this regard already in motion as recently 152 new posts of HC judges were created and an increase in the number of judges in the SC was also being undertaken.

CJI guarded on PM’s remark

New Delhi, April 19
Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan today was guarded on Manmohan Singh's remarks on corruption being a challenge "we face both in government and the judiciary." He said what the PM meant was pending corruption-related cases. — PTI