Srinagar, Feb 17: The government is promoting legal aid and technology-driven pre-litigation tools to reduce the burden on courts and expedite dispute resolution, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said on Tuesday.
Meghwal spoke to media in Kashmir, said citizens can approach Common Service Centres (CSCs) where a panel of local lawyers provides legal advice and pre-litigation assistance. “Before cases reach the court, matters can be settled through mediation, arbitration, or conciliation. This is the purpose of pre-litigation legal aid,” he said.
The minister highlighted the increasing inflow of cases in the Supreme Court, High Courts, and district courts, and said multiple mechanisms, including Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) and commercial courts, have been introduced to expedite settlements. “We have made commercial courts faster in resolving cases. Arbitration, mediation, and conciliation processes are being streamlined to ensure speedy justice,” he said.
Meghwal also referred to the government’s efforts in reducing the time criminals spend in custody, citing the use of technology and aging analysis to monitor long-standing cases. “We are trying to reduce the tendency of prolonged litigation, and I am confident technology will help achieve this,” he said.
On the sensitive issue of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, Meghwal indicated that a decision could come soon. “Our Home Minister has already assured in the Lok Sabha that the rightful process will be followed, and the people will get what is due to them. I think you will hear some decision on this very soon,” he said.(KNS).
