I fail to understand why courts have so many holidays - summer holiday, winter holidays and what not (point 7 in the above presentation) - with the number of pending cases that we have, the judiciary should instead be working over time.

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"Bail and not Jail should be the norm" (point no 12) should have readily applied in 

http://bangalore.praja.in/blog/murali772/2009/03/12/plain-high-handedness

Muralidhar Rao

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In namma Bengaluru, the problem is even more basic.

At the City Civil Court complex, I was recently witness to a lame litigant having to climb up four flights of stairs with the help of his crutches, since the only operational lift was not available for the use of the lay public.

That apart, even the most optimistic of litigants whose case may be moving along smoothly, is bound to get put off by the deplorable conditions of the toilets, the parking lots, etc, apart from the sight of the ‘paan’ stains all along the stairways.

The answer very simply is to engage competent contractors, of whom there are plenty available today.

For the full details, click on:
http://praja.in/blog/murali772/2008/01/24/mediation-required

Muralidhar Rao

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The civil court complex was getting retrofitted with a new set of elevators outside the building, but the last time I looked the progress was very slow. The whole building is in a pathetic state. The collection and record rooms in the basement are inhuman to say the least. It was not designed for a high crowd public building like courts. Unfortunately instead of breaking it down completely they are trying to extend for more boxes in the back. Less said about the contractor quality the better. I am surprised the lawers dont get themselves some better facilities. The canteen sucks, i dont think anybody eats there they probably head out to KG/avenue road.

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Even as Congress MP Mohammad Azharuddin amicably reached an out-of-court settlement in a cheque bounce case filed against him, his non-appearance before the court on Wednesday irked the judge, who slapped a cost of Rs 15 lakh on him for showing “utter disdain” to it by not appearing and “wasting” the judicial time. Metropolitan magistrate Vikrant Vaid imposed the cost after being informed by the former cricketer’s counsel that he had arrived at an out-of-court settlement. “If settlement had to be done, it could have been done on the first date itself,” the court said.

For the full report in the ToI, click here

Now, it is fairly well known that the best way to delay something that is due, for instance a payment, is to somehow get the matter into the court. With the liberal adjournment regime prevalent today, the matter can be dragged on for years together, using the flimsiest of reasons, even as the cost of money mounts by the day. In this scenario, such bold action taken by Delhi Metropolitan magistrate, Mr Vikrant Vaid, is indeed very refreshing and commendable.

Perhaps, the civil society should join together to submit a memo to the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court to direct the lower court judicial officials to follow the example set by Mr Vaid.
 

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