MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (DR. ASHWANI KUMAR)
(a) to (f) : The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 provides for establishment of Gram Nyayalayas at
intermediate Panchayat level to improve access to justice for the common man. The Act has
come into force with effect from 2nd October, 2009.
In terms of Section 3(1) of the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008, it is for the State Governments to
establish Gram Nyayalayas in consultation with the respective High Courts. As per information
available, 172 Gram Nyayalayas have been notified by nine State Governments of which 152 Gram
Nyayalayas have become operational. State-wise progress of setting up of Gram Nyayalayas and
amounts provided during the last three years to the States for meeting non-recurring as well
as recurring expenditure is as under:
(Rs. in lakh)
Sl. State Gram Gram 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13
No. Nyayalayas Nyayalayas notified operational
1 Madhya Pradesh89 89 745.40 156.80 0.0
2 Rajasthan 45 45 0.0 144.00 243.0
3 Orissa 14 8 0.0 110.60 0.0
4 Karnataka 2 0 0.0 25.20 0.0
5 Maharashtra 10 10 0.0 9.6 15.8
6 Jharkhand 6Â 0 0.0Â 0.0Â 75.60
7 Goa 2 0 0.0 0.0 25.20
8 Punjab 2 0 0.0 0.0 25.20
9 Haryana 2 0 0.0 0.0 25.20 Total 172 152 745.4 0446.20 410.0
No amount has been released so far under Gram Nyayalayas Scheme during the current financial
year (2013-14).
Central Government has been making regular requests to the Chief Ministers of States and Chief
Justices of High Courts for establishment of Gram Nyayalayas in the respective States. The issues
affecting the implementation of the Gram Nyayalayas Act were recently discussed in the Conference
of Chief Justices of the High Courts and Chief Ministers of the States on 7th April, 2013. While
the States of Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Maharashtra, West Bengal and
Uttar Pradesh supported establishment of Gram Nyayalayas, States of Gujarat, Assam, Haryana, Madhya
Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir were of the view that the Scheme would not make much impact in their States.
The States of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh were of the view that the jurisdiction of the Gram Nyayalayas
overlap the jurisdiction of the regular Courts. It has inter-alia been decided by the Conference
that the State Governments and High Courts should decide the question of establishment of Gram Nyayalayas,
wherever feasible, taking into account their local problems. In the context of the decision to double
the number of courts in the country at the subordinate level, regular Courts be set up at each Taluka,
if not already set up, and in which case establishment or continuation of Gram Nyayalaya will have to
be factored in, on a need basis.
