New Delhi: In a bid to provide speedy justice
to women fighting legal battle following matrimonial discord,
a group of lawyers from various courts has sent representation
to the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court seeking more number
of women courts as well as judges to deal with such cases.
The representation, signed by about 150 lawyers led by
Rubinder Pal Ghumman, said there was inadequate number of
`mahila` courts and also judges to deal with the more than
3,500 pending matters and complaints of litigants under
various family laws.
According to the lawyers, a majority of women with their
small children approach mahila courts seeking quick relief for
shelter and financial assistance but due to pending of a
large number of cases, the judges were not able to dispose of
the cases at a faster pace.
"According to Domestic Violence Act, a harassed woman
with children should get relief within a stipulated period of
60 days but the victims get no remedy for months and their
cases stretch for years due to inadequate number of courts and
judicial officers," the lawyers said and pleaded to the Chief
justice for implementation of the Act with true spirit.
"There is inadequate number of Mahila courts, shortage of
judicial officers and furthermore existing courts are burdened
with heavy workload and are usually delegated with additional
charge of other courts...," the lawyers pointed out.
"It is not humanly possible for a single judge to hear
more than 70-80 cases a day, many of which require and warrant
urgent relief....The judges who despite their best efforts
towards delivering substantial justice, are at times not able
to give adequate time in hearing all the cases listed for
the day due to paucity of time and heavy workload," as per the
representation.
There are now nine mahila courts to handle matrimonial
cases and also the cases under Domestic Violence Act.
PTI
