Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Feb 17: Reiterating that the Centre remains committed to its assurance given in Parliament, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, on Tuesday said a decision on the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is likely “very soon”.
Talking to reporters at SKICC Srinagar, Meghwal, termed the statehood issue “very sensitive” and asserted that the government will honour the commitment made by the Union Home Minister in the Lok Sabha.
“When our Home Minister has said in the Lok Sabha that you will get that right, then you will get it. It is a process. I think you will hear a decision on this very soon,” he said.
Pertinently, on August 5, 2019, the Government of India revoked the special status of the erstwhile J&K state and bifurcated it into two Union Territories—Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
He said the objective of launching digital legal aid mechanisms is to ensure that individuals who are unable to physically access legal services can still receive timely assistance.
Explaining the mechanism, Meghwal said a person can visit the nearest Common Service Centre (CSC), present his or her grievance and get connected to a panel lawyer from the same area through a technical platform. “The lawyer will then provide guidance and legal aid,” he said.
He stressed that the initiative also aims to encourage pre-litigation settlements so that disputes can be resolved before reaching courts.
“The purpose is that before going to court, the matter should be settled wherever possible,” he said.
Responding to queries about increasing pendency in courts, Meghwal acknowledged that despite cases being disposed of regularly in the Supreme Court, High Courts and district courts, the inflow of fresh cases continues to rise. “There is a tendency of increasing pendency, and we are trying to fix it through multiple solutions,” he said.
Among the key measures, he said, is the strengthening of Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms, including arbitration, mediation and conciliation, to ensure quicker settlement of disputes.
He said the government is also focusing on expediting commercial courts to fast-track commercial litigation. “Some commercial matters would get delayed due to jurisdictional and procedural issues, but dedicated commercial courts have helped accelerate disposal,” he said.
Meghwal also spoke about the adoption of “aging analysis” to prioritise long-pending cases. “We are analysing which cases have been pending for 40 years, 50 years and such matters should be heard first,” he said, adding that technology will play a crucial role in reducing pendency across the judicial system.
