Speech delivered by Thiru O. Panneerselvam, Hon’ble Chief Minister of
Tamil Nadu during the Joint Conference of the Chief Ministers of the
States and Chief Justices of the High Courts on 5.4.2015 at New Delhi.
Vanakkam
Under the guidance of our visionary leader Puratchi Thalaivi
Amma who always thinks for the betterment and the needs of the people
of Tamil Nadu, our Government has always been implementing people
welfare oriented programmes in all spheres including the Judiciary.
The Conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices organized
periodically definitely paves the way for a better understanding of the
needs of the Judiciary. Decisions are arrived at, based on the
deliberations made at the Conference so as to ensure that the State could
provide adequate funds for the implementation of the resolutions made
therein. Our revered leader Puratchi Thalaivi Amma and the
Government of Tamil Nadu always accord the highest priority for ensuring
speedy affordable justice to the poor and vulnerable sections of society.
With the above objective in mind, our Government has always
made adequate provision of funds for the judiciary.
In the State Budget for the year 2015-2016 a sum of Rs.809.70 crores
has been provided for the Judiciary. In the past four years a sum of
Rs.375 crores has been sanctioned for improving the infrastructure
required by the judiciary, including construction of court buildings,
residential quarters and provision of other infrastructure. Under the
1
benevolent leadership of Puratchi Thalaivi Amma adequate funds were
allotted for the provision of infrastructure by which Tamil Nadu can
proudly declare that out of 986 Subordinate Courts functioning in the
State, 87.78% are located in their own buildings and only 12.22% are
located in rented premises.A sum of Rs.157.44 crores is required for
completing the construction of the remaining court buildings. The State
Government has also been making adequate provision of funds for the
construction of new buildings.
In fact, under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for judicial
infrastructure, no funds were released to Tamil Nadu in the years
2010-11 and 2011-12. It was only after our effective follow-up action
that a sum of Rs.19.53 crores was released to the State for the year
2012-13 and Rs.73.43 crores for the year 2013-14. It is requested that
the same allocation may be made for the next two years also to enable
Tamil Nadu to construct own buildings for all courts in the State by the
year 2017.
Our Government recognises the fact that with growth in population
there is a need to constitute more courts. In the last four financial years,
our Government has ordered the constitution of 170 new courts in all,
including 65 Special Courts for land acquisition, motor vehicles accident
compensation etc., 46 Family and Mahila Courts, 26 Judicial Magistrate
Courts and District Munsif Courts. In addition our Government has
sanctioned 90 evening courts over and above the 53 evening courts which
are already functioning.
Recognising the need for recruiting more judges in
Tamil Nadu, we have recruited 178 civil judges in the year 2012-13. This
has drastically brought down the number of vacancies in the lower
judiciary. A similar recruitment of 162 Civil Judges is under progress.
Similarly, to enhance the performance of the subordinate judiciary,
35 posts of Court Managers have been sanctioned by the State
Government for assisting the National Court Management System
2
(NCMS). They have also been provided with Laptops and supporting staff
for their effective functioning. Further, under the e-Courts Mission Mode
Project, 799 Courts have been provided with hardware items such as,
computers, servers, UPS, mono laser printers, dot matrix printers,
scanners, etc. Our Government has also sanctioned a sum of 1.04 crore
rupees for purchase of Computers and other peripherals for the use of the
Madras High Court for the year 2013-2014. Our Government has also
sanctioned a sum of Rs.3.20 crores in the year 2014-2015 for purchase of
computers and other peripherals for the use of Madras High Court and its
Madurai Bench.
To facilitate effective functioning of the subordinate courts and to
ensure uninterrupted power supply, for the first time our Government has
sanctioned generators for 173 courts at a cost of Rs.17.72 crores during
the year 2014-2015.
Our Government has proposed that all prisons and criminal courts in
the State are equipped with video conferencing facilities to do away with
the need for production of accused for remand hearings. Sanction has
been accorded for Video Conferencing facilities in 169 locations including
Prisons and Jails and 352 Courts in this State.
As a result of the efforts taken by our Government,
Tamil Nadu is undoubtedly today the leading State in attaining the goal of
equality before law for women and has emerged as a State where women
feel safe and secure. Under the leadership of our revered leader Puratchi
Thalaivi Amma, Tamil Nadu had pioneered the setting up of All Women
Police Stations in India more than 20 years ago in 1992. Today, an All
Women Police Station is functioning in every Police
sub-division in Tamil Nadu. In 2002, a separate legislation viz., The Tamil
Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women (Amendment) Act, 2002, was
enacted under which the punishment in cases of sexual harassment was
made more severe.
3
Pursuant to the rape and death of a young woman in New Delhi,
two years ago, our resolute leader Puratchi Thalaivi Amma had
announced a fresh set of strong measures for the protection of women by
which investigation of cases relating to sexual violence against women is
carried out by Women Police under the direct supervision of a Deputy
Superintendent of Police. 42 Fast Track Mahila Courts have been set up to
cover all the districts in the State to try offences against women. Special
Training seminars on the provision of laws for the protection of women
and proper method of investigating sexual crimes are being imparted in
the Police Training Institutions.
The Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy has also been requested to
provide training on various aspects relating to gender issues periodically,
and we are happy to note that the course curriculum at the Academy
includes also ‘Gender Justice’ which is being imparted in the Induction
programmes, Refresher courses and Advanced Training which are
conducted regularly. A two-day Special Programme for all District Judges
and Chief Judicial Magistrates was conducted on 15th and
16th June 2013, at the Judicial Academy relating to ‘Women Empowerment
and Gender Justice’. In the Refresher Programme for Civil Judges topics
pertaining to women and children and more particularly subjects on
sensitizing the officers on Gender Justice, were included.
Our Government has also set up a Juvenile Justice Board under
section 4 of the Juvenile Justice Act in every District of State. In addition,
District Child Protection Societies have been formed in all the Districts of
the State under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) and 1507
Child care institutions have been registered under section 34 of the Act.
Our Government has also constituted the Tamil Nadu Commission for
Protection of Child Rights. In order to improve the condition of the Child
care institutions and to ensure their welfare, our Government has
sanctioned a total amount of Rs.7.59 crores for strengthening the
protection walls of the Child care institutions, providing for vocational
training, strengthening infrastructural facilities, sports materials, woollen
4
sweaters, welcome kits, power generators, solar energy equipments and
surveillance cameras. Provision has also been made for washing
machines, water purifiers and modern kitchen equipment.
Our Government has also taken steps to strengthen the Alternative
Dispute Resolution mechanisms. The Alternative Dispute Resolution
Centre in the High Court premises has been constructed at a cost of
Rs.4.20 crores. Construction of 29 more Centres in the District
Headquarters has also been sanctioned. An additional sum of Rs.1.95
crores was sanctioned towards improvement of infrastructure facility for
the Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre in the High Court campus. The
system of Lok Adalats and Mega Lok Adalats, another alternative dispute
resolution mechanism, has been strengthened in an exemplary manner in
our State. In the National Lok Adalat held on 23.11.2013, 13,77,252
cases were disposed of in the State for an award amount of
Rs.1140,32,91,487/- and in the National Lok Adalat held on 06.12.2014,
24,73,212 cases were disposed of for an award amount of
Rs.2081,48,73,918/-. A sum of Rs.14.83 crores has been sanctioned
during the last four years for conducting the Lok Adalats, Mega Lok
Adalats and Legal Literacy Awareness camps. Our Government has also
specially sanctioned funds of Rs.5.43 crores for training in mediation
which has been imparted to judicial officers, advocates and mediators.
District Legal Services Authorities have been created in accordance with
the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 and the 10 posts of Secretaries
have so far been sanctioned for the District Legal Services Authorities.
Permanent Lok Adalats have been sanctioned in all the 32 Districts of the
State at a cost of Rs.7.70 crores.
Our Government would like to take this opportunity to strongly
reiterate a longstanding request voiced on behalf of the people of the
State of Tamil Nadu by our revered leader Puratchi Thalaivi Amma.
Article 348 (2) of the Constitution read with Section 7 of the Official
Languages Act, 1963, clearly envisages the usage of the State official
language in judgments, decrees and proceedings of the High Court with
5
the prior concurrence of the President. This practice is already being
adopted in four States. However, our repeated requests to authorize the
use of Tamil in the High Court of Madras have not been responded to
favourably. A communication received in January, 2013, from the
Department of Official Languages, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government
of India, has indicated that the request of the State was considered by
the Full Court of the Supreme Court of India in the meeting held on
11.10.2012 and that the Full Court, after due deliberations, reiterated its
earlier Resolutions adopted on 07.05.1997 and 15.10.1999 not to approve
the proposal. If we are to take the administration of justice genuinely
closer to the people, then it is absolutely imperative that the local
language is used in the High Court, as is already being done in the State
Government and in the State Legislature. Our Government urges the
Government of India and the Supreme Court to reconsider their stand in
this matter and fulfill the long standing aspiration and demand of the
State to authorize the use of Tamil in the High Court of Madras.
Administration of Justice must aim for qualitative and quantitative
justice to the litigant public. To attain this end, the independence and the
image of the judiciary should always be upheld by providing necessary
infrastructure and ensuring a conducive environment. Based on these
principles advocated by our respected leader Puratchi Thalaivi Amma
our Government has gone all out to support the requirements of judiciary
and has helped in accelerating their performance with speed and quality
by giving adequate infrastructure support in all possible ways. Further
our Government is very keen to make progressive strides and produce
tangible results.
We hope that the deliberations in this Conference will be of
immense help in ensuring justice, liberty and equality to all our citizens.
Tamil Nadu during the Joint Conference of the Chief Ministers of the
States and Chief Justices of the High Courts on 5.4.2015 at New Delhi.
Vanakkam
Under the guidance of our visionary leader Puratchi Thalaivi
Amma who always thinks for the betterment and the needs of the people
of Tamil Nadu, our Government has always been implementing people
welfare oriented programmes in all spheres including the Judiciary.
The Conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices organized
periodically definitely paves the way for a better understanding of the
needs of the Judiciary. Decisions are arrived at, based on the
deliberations made at the Conference so as to ensure that the State could
provide adequate funds for the implementation of the resolutions made
therein. Our revered leader Puratchi Thalaivi Amma and the
Government of Tamil Nadu always accord the highest priority for ensuring
speedy affordable justice to the poor and vulnerable sections of society.
With the above objective in mind, our Government has always
made adequate provision of funds for the judiciary.
In the State Budget for the year 2015-2016 a sum of Rs.809.70 crores
has been provided for the Judiciary. In the past four years a sum of
Rs.375 crores has been sanctioned for improving the infrastructure
required by the judiciary, including construction of court buildings,
residential quarters and provision of other infrastructure. Under the
1
benevolent leadership of Puratchi Thalaivi Amma adequate funds were
allotted for the provision of infrastructure by which Tamil Nadu can
proudly declare that out of 986 Subordinate Courts functioning in the
State, 87.78% are located in their own buildings and only 12.22% are
located in rented premises.A sum of Rs.157.44 crores is required for
completing the construction of the remaining court buildings. The State
Government has also been making adequate provision of funds for the
construction of new buildings.
In fact, under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for judicial
infrastructure, no funds were released to Tamil Nadu in the years
2010-11 and 2011-12. It was only after our effective follow-up action
that a sum of Rs.19.53 crores was released to the State for the year
2012-13 and Rs.73.43 crores for the year 2013-14. It is requested that
the same allocation may be made for the next two years also to enable
Tamil Nadu to construct own buildings for all courts in the State by the
year 2017.
Our Government recognises the fact that with growth in population
there is a need to constitute more courts. In the last four financial years,
our Government has ordered the constitution of 170 new courts in all,
including 65 Special Courts for land acquisition, motor vehicles accident
compensation etc., 46 Family and Mahila Courts, 26 Judicial Magistrate
Courts and District Munsif Courts. In addition our Government has
sanctioned 90 evening courts over and above the 53 evening courts which
are already functioning.
Recognising the need for recruiting more judges in
Tamil Nadu, we have recruited 178 civil judges in the year 2012-13. This
has drastically brought down the number of vacancies in the lower
judiciary. A similar recruitment of 162 Civil Judges is under progress.
Similarly, to enhance the performance of the subordinate judiciary,
35 posts of Court Managers have been sanctioned by the State
Government for assisting the National Court Management System
2
(NCMS). They have also been provided with Laptops and supporting staff
for their effective functioning. Further, under the e-Courts Mission Mode
Project, 799 Courts have been provided with hardware items such as,
computers, servers, UPS, mono laser printers, dot matrix printers,
scanners, etc. Our Government has also sanctioned a sum of 1.04 crore
rupees for purchase of Computers and other peripherals for the use of the
Madras High Court for the year 2013-2014. Our Government has also
sanctioned a sum of Rs.3.20 crores in the year 2014-2015 for purchase of
computers and other peripherals for the use of Madras High Court and its
Madurai Bench.
To facilitate effective functioning of the subordinate courts and to
ensure uninterrupted power supply, for the first time our Government has
sanctioned generators for 173 courts at a cost of Rs.17.72 crores during
the year 2014-2015.
Our Government has proposed that all prisons and criminal courts in
the State are equipped with video conferencing facilities to do away with
the need for production of accused for remand hearings. Sanction has
been accorded for Video Conferencing facilities in 169 locations including
Prisons and Jails and 352 Courts in this State.
As a result of the efforts taken by our Government,
Tamil Nadu is undoubtedly today the leading State in attaining the goal of
equality before law for women and has emerged as a State where women
feel safe and secure. Under the leadership of our revered leader Puratchi
Thalaivi Amma, Tamil Nadu had pioneered the setting up of All Women
Police Stations in India more than 20 years ago in 1992. Today, an All
Women Police Station is functioning in every Police
sub-division in Tamil Nadu. In 2002, a separate legislation viz., The Tamil
Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women (Amendment) Act, 2002, was
enacted under which the punishment in cases of sexual harassment was
made more severe.
3
Pursuant to the rape and death of a young woman in New Delhi,
two years ago, our resolute leader Puratchi Thalaivi Amma had
announced a fresh set of strong measures for the protection of women by
which investigation of cases relating to sexual violence against women is
carried out by Women Police under the direct supervision of a Deputy
Superintendent of Police. 42 Fast Track Mahila Courts have been set up to
cover all the districts in the State to try offences against women. Special
Training seminars on the provision of laws for the protection of women
and proper method of investigating sexual crimes are being imparted in
the Police Training Institutions.
The Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy has also been requested to
provide training on various aspects relating to gender issues periodically,
and we are happy to note that the course curriculum at the Academy
includes also ‘Gender Justice’ which is being imparted in the Induction
programmes, Refresher courses and Advanced Training which are
conducted regularly. A two-day Special Programme for all District Judges
and Chief Judicial Magistrates was conducted on 15th and
16th June 2013, at the Judicial Academy relating to ‘Women Empowerment
and Gender Justice’. In the Refresher Programme for Civil Judges topics
pertaining to women and children and more particularly subjects on
sensitizing the officers on Gender Justice, were included.
Our Government has also set up a Juvenile Justice Board under
section 4 of the Juvenile Justice Act in every District of State. In addition,
District Child Protection Societies have been formed in all the Districts of
the State under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) and 1507
Child care institutions have been registered under section 34 of the Act.
Our Government has also constituted the Tamil Nadu Commission for
Protection of Child Rights. In order to improve the condition of the Child
care institutions and to ensure their welfare, our Government has
sanctioned a total amount of Rs.7.59 crores for strengthening the
protection walls of the Child care institutions, providing for vocational
training, strengthening infrastructural facilities, sports materials, woollen
4
sweaters, welcome kits, power generators, solar energy equipments and
surveillance cameras. Provision has also been made for washing
machines, water purifiers and modern kitchen equipment.
Our Government has also taken steps to strengthen the Alternative
Dispute Resolution mechanisms. The Alternative Dispute Resolution
Centre in the High Court premises has been constructed at a cost of
Rs.4.20 crores. Construction of 29 more Centres in the District
Headquarters has also been sanctioned. An additional sum of Rs.1.95
crores was sanctioned towards improvement of infrastructure facility for
the Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre in the High Court campus. The
system of Lok Adalats and Mega Lok Adalats, another alternative dispute
resolution mechanism, has been strengthened in an exemplary manner in
our State. In the National Lok Adalat held on 23.11.2013, 13,77,252
cases were disposed of in the State for an award amount of
Rs.1140,32,91,487/- and in the National Lok Adalat held on 06.12.2014,
24,73,212 cases were disposed of for an award amount of
Rs.2081,48,73,918/-. A sum of Rs.14.83 crores has been sanctioned
during the last four years for conducting the Lok Adalats, Mega Lok
Adalats and Legal Literacy Awareness camps. Our Government has also
specially sanctioned funds of Rs.5.43 crores for training in mediation
which has been imparted to judicial officers, advocates and mediators.
District Legal Services Authorities have been created in accordance with
the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 and the 10 posts of Secretaries
have so far been sanctioned for the District Legal Services Authorities.
Permanent Lok Adalats have been sanctioned in all the 32 Districts of the
State at a cost of Rs.7.70 crores.
Our Government would like to take this opportunity to strongly
reiterate a longstanding request voiced on behalf of the people of the
State of Tamil Nadu by our revered leader Puratchi Thalaivi Amma.
Article 348 (2) of the Constitution read with Section 7 of the Official
Languages Act, 1963, clearly envisages the usage of the State official
language in judgments, decrees and proceedings of the High Court with
5
the prior concurrence of the President. This practice is already being
adopted in four States. However, our repeated requests to authorize the
use of Tamil in the High Court of Madras have not been responded to
favourably. A communication received in January, 2013, from the
Department of Official Languages, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government
of India, has indicated that the request of the State was considered by
the Full Court of the Supreme Court of India in the meeting held on
11.10.2012 and that the Full Court, after due deliberations, reiterated its
earlier Resolutions adopted on 07.05.1997 and 15.10.1999 not to approve
the proposal. If we are to take the administration of justice genuinely
closer to the people, then it is absolutely imperative that the local
language is used in the High Court, as is already being done in the State
Government and in the State Legislature. Our Government urges the
Government of India and the Supreme Court to reconsider their stand in
this matter and fulfill the long standing aspiration and demand of the
State to authorize the use of Tamil in the High Court of Madras.
Administration of Justice must aim for qualitative and quantitative
justice to the litigant public. To attain this end, the independence and the
image of the judiciary should always be upheld by providing necessary
infrastructure and ensuring a conducive environment. Based on these
principles advocated by our respected leader Puratchi Thalaivi Amma
our Government has gone all out to support the requirements of judiciary
and has helped in accelerating their performance with speed and quality
by giving adequate infrastructure support in all possible ways. Further
our Government is very keen to make progressive strides and produce
tangible results.
We hope that the deliberations in this Conference will be of
immense help in ensuring justice, liberty and equality to all our citizens.
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