The Union Government is planning to introduce evening courts on a pilot basis in Delhi, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh as part of its efforts to address the mounting pendency of cases across the country.
Under the proposed initiative, courts presently functioning during regular daytime hours will extend their working hours by a few additional hours into the evening to take up pending matters and facilitate their faster disposal.
The initiative is aimed at augmenting the existing judicial infrastructure by making greater use of available court facilities beyond conventional working hours, thereby creating additional opportunities for hearing cases without necessarily requiring the establishment of entirely new courts.
The proposal, announced by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, also envisages engaging retired judges to preside over the additional evening proceedings. The project will be implemented in coordination with the respective High Courts and is expected to commence shortly.
The government will assess the outcome of the pilot initiative before considering its extension to other States and Union Territories.
Meghwal also underlined the importance of strengthening alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including Lok Adalats and mediation, to facilitate settlements outside conventional court proceedings. The Centre is additionally focusing on pre-mediation to resolve disputes before they escalate into protracted litigation.
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