IMPHAL, June 2 (NNN): Lack of judges and staff in Manipur Courts and district chief judicial magistrate courts has hampered in dealing cases in Manipur.
Addressing the media today, All Manipur Bar Association (AMBA) blamed the Central government for all the ails in Manipur Courts.
AMBA alleges that the ‘step-motherly’ treatment meted out to courts in Manipur by the Centre has impacted the delay in delivering justice to the people.
AMBA president Khaidem Mani said there should be altogether five judges in Manipur Courts but there have been only two judges.
As per the all India 25 % increment of judges, there should be five judges in Manipur. Though the Centre has agreed to have four judges in the state only two judges are posted in the state, said Khaidem Mani. “Let the government takes time to post the remaining one judge here but at least fulfill its commitment to have four judges in the state,” said the AMBA president.
The AMBA president then said earlier there were just two District and Session Judges (Court) in Manipur i.e. Imphal West and Imphal East district but today “we have such courts in the districts of Thoubal, Bishenpur and Senapati too.” The District and Session Judges (Court) in Churachandpur and Ukhrul will be opened any day, the AMBA chief added. “With these rising number of courts in Manipur the presence of only two judges in the state to deal the cases is a big problem today,” Khaidem Mani rued.
Besides these courts, there have also been Grade-1 and Grade -II courts and district level Chief Judicial Magistrate (Courts) in all the districts. Above these, there have also been the Judicial Magistrate First Class. Given this scenerio, the AMBA president urged the concerned authority to post adequate number of judges and staff in Manipur to deal the rising number of cases.
Khaidem Mani then pointed out that there should be atleast 58 staff in each District and Session Judge (Court). If the posting of 58 staff is not possible then there should be a minimum of 39 staff in the District and Session Judge (court), said Khaidem Mani. In each Grade 1 and Grade -II court there should be a minimum staff of 14, he added. In the First Class category there should be 9 staff compulsorily posted, Mani also said.
Regarding the Thoubal District and Session Judge (court), Mani stated that there was a post creation of 24 staff in that court but only 16 staff are operating there. In Bishenpur District and Session Judge (Court) the post creation was 14 staff but only 10 staff are working in the court. Regarding the Senapati District and Session Judge (court) there was a post creation of 16 but only 11 of them are working presently.
Regarding the ‘Fast Tract Courts’ in Manipur, the AMBA president said since the year 2001 there have already been these courts existing on adhoc basis with five years extension later. “Today these Fast Tract Courts have become permanent courts in Manipur but the staff are working on adhoc basis still with 2 to 3 staff in each court” Khaidem Mani also pointed out.
He then said there should be around 400 staff in all the courts in Manipur but “we have only around 200 staff”.
With cases of crime against women and drug related cases fast rising in Manipur the shortage of judges and staff in Manipur has even given hurdles in delivering justice to the people. Khaidem Mani urged the government to give attention to the problems at the earliest before the people get agitated.