Vijyender Sharma
SHIMLA---"The young children are easy to mould and have a very clear impression about cleanliness" declared the Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir, while flagging off the cleanliness drive organized by the H.P State Legal Service Authority in collaboration with other departments of state of H.P. He emphasized upon the need to make people aware of the importance of cleanliness, environment and their duties towards society as well.
While addressing the gathering at Ridge Maidan, Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir told that Shimla was placed at 90th position in a survey of 476 cities during the year 2014-15, to determine the level of cleanliness; thereafter it was thought proper to launch a cleanliness campaign so that Shimla could become role model for others.
In this drive 1000 students from different government and private Schools, Colleges and ITIs from all over the state participated. The students started this campaign from Jakhu temple. They collected and cleared garbage from the surrounding areas of the Shimla city in personal presence of Justice Sanjay Karol, Executive Chairman, H.P. State Legal Service Authority.
In support of this drive the H.P Legal Services Authority has also organized a State Level Painting, Slogan Writing and Essay Competition at New Auditorium, H.P. High Court, Shimla wherein 107 students from different corner of the state participated. This programme was organized by Himachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority in collaboration with Department of Environment Sciences & Technology, Department of Education, Department of Forest & Municipal Corporation, Shimla.
During interaction with participants, the Chief Justice said that he also belongs to a hill state and has special attachment with the Shimla city. He was under impression that Shimla would have been one of the cleanest cities, being a historic City which once remained capital of British India. But when he saw the ground realities after joining as Acting Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh in November, 2013, he was saddened by the prevailing conditions. Expressing his views on the historic importance of Shimla City, he said that during the British Raj Shimla was one of the cleanest cities. Interacting with participants from all over the State, he also expressed his views on the importance of legal awareness.
Talking about the pendency and disposal of cases before high Court and subordinate courts the Chief Justice told that the annual disposal of cases in subordinate judiciary in Himachal Pradesh during the year, 2014 has increased to 409732 cases from 202763 cases disposed in year 2010, which is an increase of 206969 cases that is to say, 102.0%. Law Commission of India had also noticed in its 245th report that in Himachal Pradesh, annual disposal at the level of higher judiciary is 1296.1 cases per judge, which is the highest in the country while the annual disposal of 1139.0 cases per judge at the level of Civil Judges is at number three in the country. This is considerably higher than the recommended disposal of 500 cases per year for senior judges and 600 cases per year for junior Civil Judges fixed by Resolution of the Chief Justice's Conference, 2004.
The Chief Justice said that in the year 2013 there were 60073 cases pending in the High Court, which were reduced to 32981on 30/09/2015 whereas, in the subordinate Courts as on 32.12.2013, the total pendency was 2,58,791, which was reduced to 2,26224 as on 31.12.2014 by vigilant and constant monitoring and issuance of instruction from time to time. The pendency in the subordinate Courts in H.P. as on 31/08/2015 has further been reduced to 2,14,313.
Talking about the computerization, Hon'ble the Chief justice said that video conferencing facility has been made operational in all the headquarters and eleven Civil and session Divisions. Modern Digital Display System has been installed in the High Court of H.P., which displays current status of cases in each operational Court to the Advocates and litigant with facility of simultaneous display of such information on the web site of High Court. Process of Introduction of e-court fee and e-stamping in H.P. High Court and at District Courts, Shimla on trial basis for a period of three months has almost reached at a final stage. 130 new laptops of latest configuration have been provided to all the judicial officers of the state Judiciary, in place of old and obsolete laptops, earlier provided to them under the e-Project. Law suit software with facility of updation of case law on daily basis has been provided to the Hon'ble Judges of High Court and subordinate judges of the state of H.P. State Court Management System (SCMS) Committee and Court Development and Planning Committee (CDPC) as per the guidelines of National Court Management System (NCMS) have been constituted. 13 posts of Technical Manpower (ad-hoc) have been created and the recruitment process for the same is under process. The information qua scrutiny and objections in the court cases is being provided through e-mail to the advocates. SMS Services have been provided to 10 court complexes at the head quarter of civil and sessions division except at Shimla. His Lordship also informed that the NIC unit of H.P. High Court with the guidance of State NIC in the association with the computer branch of High Court has prepared one mobile application, which would provide many facilities to the advocates and litigants, which is likely to be launched shortly.
The Chief Justice also said that almost all the vacant posts in the judiciary have been filled up. No post of Additional District Judge is lying vacant at present and right now a batch of 15 judicial officers is under training at judicial academy. 41 posts in the different cadre were also created in the Registry of High Court and process for filling these posts has been initiated. New posts of stenographers and supporting staff have also been created in the judicial academy. other required posts including Traffic Magistrate, Secretary, Legal Service Authorities, SPS and staff in the High Court, Judicial Academy and Legal Service Authorities are created from time to time.
Hon'ble the Chief Justice also pointed out that the Judicial academy is performing well and the work of New Judicial Academy complex is in full swing. Till now an amount of about Rs. 18 crores has been spent on the construction of new judicial complex in the first phase of its grant. The matter of land transfer to National Law University proposed to be opened shortly near Ganahati, Shimla is under process.
The Chief Justice also added that two Regional conferences were also organized in the state of H.P. in the recent past. One conference on "Strengthening Justice Delivery System: Tools & Techniques" was organized in the month of April, 2015 at Peter Holf, Shimla by H.P. Judicial Academy and another one was organized on "Drug Menace in India" at Manali by H.P. State Legal Services Authority between 11th to 13th June, 2015. Hon'ble Judges from the Supreme Court, High Courts and Judicial officers from the other state also participated. In both these conferences national policies were formulated.
Talking about the achievements of H.P. State legal services authority the Chief justice said that the authority is doing a great job in the state regarding spreading of the legal awareness among the masses. The Legal Services time to time is organizing legal awareness programme in the state. Para Legal Volunteers are being trained to aware the common masses regarding their legal rights. In the month of September, 2015, State Legal Services Authority also organized a State Meet of Para Legal Volunteers & Conference on Mediation in which many participants from all over the state took part. The State Legal Service Authority is making serious efforts to reach to poor section of the society. Lok Adalats are being held every second Saturday for settlement of the disputes.
The Chief Justice further said that a Bus and new vehicles for Judicial Academy were purchased in the recent past. New vehicles for High Court and Subordinate courts were also purchased. Vehicles to all the entitled judicial officers have been provided.
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