NEW DELHI: Highlighting that the establishment of Gram Nyayalayas across the country would help improve access to justice for litigants, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said that the sooner the Nyayalayas are established, the better the access to justice.The petitioner NGO National Federation of Societies For Fast Justice (NFSFFJ) and others, had moved the apex court seeking a direction to the Centre and all states to take steps to set up ‘Gram Nyayalayas’ under the supervision of the Apex court.During the course of the hearing on Wednesday, advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, NFSFFJ and others, told the apex court bench, led by Justice B R Gavai and Justices P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan, that some of the states are saying, “We don’t need Gram Nyayalayas as we have Nyaya Panchayats.” “So far, only about five to six per cent of Gram Nyayalayas have been set up till now,” Bhushan clarified to the top court.The bench noted that the counsel appearing for the Himachal Pradesh High Court has apprised that in spite of repeated reminders to the state for establishment of Gram Nyayalayas, no steps have been taken in the matter.While noting the submissions of the HP HC, into the record, the top court directed the Himachal Pradesh government to respond to the HC’s repeated reminders in the issue in the next date of hearing after four weeks.It is significant to note here that an Act was passed by Parliament in 2008 provided for the establishment of Gram Nyayalayas at the grassroots level for providing access to justice to the citizens at their doorsteps. It was passed to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to anyone because of social, economic or other disabilities. “16,000 Gram Nyayalayas are required, but only a little over 450 were set up with about 300 actually functional.”Taking account these remarks of Bhushan, the Supreme Court observed, “Gram nyayalayas were supposed to provide speedy, easy and quick access to the justice system for the last citizens of the country. Every citizen has a right to affordable justice at an affordable price.”
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