PANJIM: Goa’s legal eagles will now have to spend part of their evenings in court, as the State government has decided to start evening courts to reduce the huge backlog of cases and quicken the process of justice. The government has used its powers given to it under the Bombay High Court at Goa rules.
This experiment was first tried out in Gujarat in 2006 and is now being followed in many parts of the country.
Through a notification issued on Thursday, the government has introduced the Goa Evening Courts Rules, 2014, drafted in consultation with the High Court and the Goa Public Service Commission (GPSC). The normal working hours of the courts are from 10.30 am to 5.30 pm with lunch break from 1.30 pm to 2.30 pm.
The High Court is empowered to notify as many courts to be evening courts as required under these rules. “The evening court shall have jurisdiction to entertain and try all kinds of cases, suits or other proceedings as may be assigned by the Principal District Judge, Principal Judge or Chief Judicial Magistrate,” the notification issued by the Department of Law and Judiciary, reads.
The High Court has granted powers to appoint or depute any serving judicial officer as a judge of the evening court. Also, the government, in consultation with the High Court, appoints any retired judicial officer as a judge of the evening court, provided he has not crossed the age of 67.
“Subject to the overall control of the High Court, the Principal District Judge, Principal Judge or Chief Judicial Magistrate at the station, shall supervise and monitor the functioning of the evening courts,” the notification reads.
Government has specified that in consultation with the High Court, it can terminate the service of any judge as and when needed. The Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa had last year resolved to oppose the establishment of evening courts in their respective State, claiming that it would put an undue burden on advocates’ working hours.
