The Bombay High Court on Wednesday enquired with the High Court administration if there are any sensitisation programmes conducted for judges designated to hear cases against violations of human rights of citizens..A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Arif Doctor posed the question after Advocate Rahul Nerlekar for the High Court administration pointed out that certain judges of sessions courts were designated since early 2000 to hear cases against violations of human rights. The Bench was informed that in 2022, there were only two cases instituted and pending before the designated judges - one before an Aurangabad sessions judge and another before a Sangli sessions judge. It wondered whether the low number of cases was due to lack of understanding on what would fall under the category of “human rights” case. “Perhaps there are guidelines required on how cognizance can be taken. And elaborate on what kind of cases come under human rights,” the Court said. .It asked the petitioner to research whether there was any provision or statutory mandate under which it could issue such guidelines. “Where do we get the statutory mandate for this? Where does it say that without these rules the (designated) courts cannot function?”.Advocate Asim Sarode, petitioner-in-person, with Advocate Ajinkya Udane, argued that the low number of cases could be because people were not aware of existence of such courts. “It cannot be that only two cases are pending. I know of cases in various districts where human rights are being violated and courts are refusing to hear. There has to be advertisement that there are such courts. People may not be aware,” he said. .The Bench also directed Sarode to place on record details of at least one such case, and posted the matter for further hearing on July 27.
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday enquired with the High Court administration if there are any sensitisation programmes conducted for judges designated to hear cases against violations of human rights of citizens..A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Arif Doctor posed the question after Advocate Rahul Nerlekar for the High Court administration pointed out that certain judges of sessions courts were designated since early 2000 to hear cases against violations of human rights. The Bench was informed that in 2022, there were only two cases instituted and pending before the designated judges - one before an Aurangabad sessions judge and another before a Sangli sessions judge. It wondered whether the low number of cases was due to lack of understanding on what would fall under the category of “human rights” case. “Perhaps there are guidelines required on how cognizance can be taken. And elaborate on what kind of cases come under human rights,” the Court said. .It asked the petitioner to research whether there was any provision or statutory mandate under which it could issue such guidelines. “Where do we get the statutory mandate for this? Where does it say that without these rules the (designated) courts cannot function?”.Advocate Asim Sarode, petitioner-in-person, with Advocate Ajinkya Udane, argued that the low number of cases could be because people were not aware of existence of such courts. “It cannot be that only two cases are pending. I know of cases in various districts where human rights are being violated and courts are refusing to hear. There has to be advertisement that there are such courts. People may not be aware,” he said. .The Bench also directed Sarode to place on record details of at least one such case, and posted the matter for further hearing on July 27.