Law Minister is bringing in major judicial reforms and transparency

Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily while inaugurating Nagpur District Bar Association’s anniversary function told the media that the Government will introduce the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill (Bill) in the monsoon session of the Parliament. The Bill would enhance transparency of the judicial system..Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily while inaugurating Nagpur District Bar Association’s anniversary function told the media that the Government will introduce the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill (Bill) in the monsoon session of the Parliament. The Bill would enhance transparency of the judicial system..The Bill has been deliberated with the juries, judges and other concerned persons.The Bill highlights provisions for removing judges in case of misconduct. The alleged judge can be warned and reprimanded, and in case of serious violations, will be impeached.The Bill will replace the Judges Enquiries Act of 1964..The Government is also developing infrastructure of the subordinate courts of the country. The Government has already spent Rs. 3,000 crore for the E-court programme and all reforms would be implemented over a period of next four years. Another Rs. 1,000 crore would be spent on it to ensure that judgments of lower court are available on the net. It will be so much easier for clients to directly check the website of the lower courts and find out if the judge has passed any order..TOI reports, “The minister also assured the government’s initiative to reform, the judicial system would ensure that by 2013 no litigation goes on for more than three years which as on date can go on for 15 to 20 years. The government plans to spend Rs. 20,000 crore in coming five years to achieve this object”..“We propose to establish a national judicial service (NJS) cadre on the lines of IAS and IPS. A fourth of post of judges will be filled through NJS. Fresh graduates will be trained to become judges. This will reduce vacancies in judiciary and give chance to young graduates to serve the nation. Information technology will also be used to reduce pendencies”..The 13th Finance Commission had sanctioned Rs. 5,000 crore ($1.1 billion) for upgradation of lower courts and the same has been released to the States..Government is also planning to set up Indian Legal Service (ILS) cadre. ILS officers would represent public sector undertakings (PSUs), central and state governments. So far, 5000 gramin nyayalayas have also been set up..The idea of setting up Indian Legal Services cadre and the Judicial Services cadre was proposed by the Law Ministry last year.