Gram Nyaylaya Set Up In Faridabad To Benefit 20 Villages

Faridabad: Following the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, a Gram Nyayalaya has been set up in Mohna village of Haryana's Faridabad, where people of 20 villages within a radius of 12 km can approach to get justice.

Currently, the villagers go to the district court located in Sector 12, about 20 km away, which consumes their entire day, apart from the expense of commuting.

Initially, the Gram Nyalaya will function every Wednesday to hear cases with a maximum punishment of two years. "After the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, a Gram Nyayalaya has been set up in Mohna village. People living within 12 kilometres will get justice. Cases with provisions of up to two years of punishment will be decided by this court, which initially will function every Wednesday. The judicial officer in the case will also be appointed by the Faridabad Session Division," Ritu Yada, chief judicial magistrate-cum-secretary, said.

OP Sharma, senior lawyer and former vice-president of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana High Court, said, "The Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken a welcoming decision. During the hearing in the Gram Nyayalaya, the matter will be settled at the village level, which will benefit people living within a radius of 12 kilometres. Those who come to visit the district court in Sector 12 spend a lot of money on commuting and waste an entire day making several rounds of the court. The Gram Nyalaya will bring a big relief."

The Gram Nyaylaya will function from the Gram Panchayat building. (ETV Bharat)

Sharma said the village court will be useful for those filing cases of domestic violence and will reduce the burden of the district court, which can also transfer some cases to its village counterpart. "If the court functions for a day, the workload on the district court will be reduced by 2-3%. Besides, it will generate employment by creating ancillary businesses nearby, like shops, stamp vending and lawyers' chambers. Overall, it will bring great convenience to the people," he added.

According to Sharma, if the initial experiment goes well, the demand for the functioning of the Gram Nyayalaya will also grow louder. "Article 226 of the Constitution empowers High Courts to increase or reduce the number of judges in the lower courts. The Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered to open the Gram Nyayalaya at Mohna village under Ballabhgarh after considering the vastness of Faridabad," he added.

Sukhbir, a villager, said, "The setting up of the Gram Nyayalaya is a matter of happiness for our village. Earlier, we had to go to Sector 12 court, wasting both time and money. The Gram Nyayalaya has been built inside the building of the Gram Panchayat. The opening of the court will generate associate employment."

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