RANCHI: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday stressed the need for reservation in appointments to the senior judicial service in a state like Jharkhand saying the negligible presence of the tribal community in this sphere was a matter of concern.
The CM also pointed out that over 3,000 undertrials, many of them poor tribals, Dalits and members of the weaker sections of society, were languishing in the state's prisons for petty crimes for more than five years and said a system should be devised to tackle this.
"The negligible presence of tribal community in the Superior Judicial Service in the state of Jharkhand is a matter of concern. There is no provision for reservation in the appointment process of this service."
"Since the Judges of the Hon'ble High Court are appointed from this service, the position is the same in the High Court. Therefore, I would like that a provision for reservation should be made in the appointment process of senior judicial service in this tribal-dominated state," Soren said.
He made the remarks in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Supreme Court Justice Aniruddha Bose, Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court Sanjaya Kumar Mishra and others during the inauguration ceremony the new building of the Jharkhand High Court by the President.
The chief minister expressed hope that the High Court will prove to be a milestone in the direction of providing simple, accessible, cheap and speedy justice to tribals, Dalits, the backward, and the poor.
"In Jharkhand, a large number of poor tribals, Dalits, minorities, and weaker sections are imprisoned in jails for petty crimes. This is a matter of concern.
"There is a need for serious brainstorming on this. Last year, we prepared a list of such undertrial cases, which were pending for more than five years...Their number was about 3,600," Soren said.
He said out of these, more than 3,400 cases were disposed off by running a campaign. However, this number again stands at 3,200 prisoners.
"Now we have prepared a list of cases pending for more than four years. Their number is also about 3,200...Efforts are being made to dispose of these cases within the next six months. I am constantly monitoring this," he said.
Due to a shortage of assistant public prosecutors in the subordinate judiciary, there were problems in the execution of cases, he said and added that last month 107 Assistant Public Prosecutors were appointed.
He said a lot of good work has been done regarding the infrastructure of the subordinate judiciary.
"I think our state is in the best position in the country. Today, a total of 506 judicial officers are working in Jharkhand, for whom 658 courtrooms and 639 residences are available."
"The state government will give priority to the requirements for the infrastructure of the subordinate judiciary in the future as well," Soren said.
He also urged the Centre to implement a centrally sponsored scheme to augment the infrastructure of High Courts saying the state government spent Rs 1,000 crore on Jharkhand High Court including the cost of land.
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Underlining the need for a scheme to augment the infrastructure of High Courts, he said although a Centrally Sponsored Scheme is being run by the Government of India for the infrastructure of the subordinate judiciary, no such scheme is available for the High Courts.
"If the cost of the land is included, then an amount of about Rs 1,000 crore has been spent by the state government on this new building of Jharkhand High Court. The Central Government has no stake in this."
"From time to time, additional infrastructure is required in the High Courts also, so I would request that the Government of India implement a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the infrastructure of the High Courts as well," Soren said.
