Bill introduced in Karnataka Assembly to ensure speedy trials for farmers, poor

The Karnataka government on Tuesday moved an amendment to the Code of Civil Procedure requiring courts to ensure speedy disposal of cases involving small farmers and persons belonging to the economically weaker sections. 

Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil introduced the Code of Civil Procedure (Karnataka Amendment) Bill in the Assembly. 

"It is expedient to provide for speedy disposal of cases in which persons having no sustained strength to fight prolonged litigation in courts are involved," Patil stated in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.

The Bill seeks to provide relief to small or marginal farmers and persons of the economically weaker sections (whose income from all sources does not exceed Rs 50,000 in a year) with "speedy justice by stipulating a reasonable time frame within which such cases shall be disposed of on performance", the Bill stated. "There is a need to evolve a suitable procedure for expeditious disposal of the cases and to achieve these objectives," it said.

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According to the Bill, any lawsuit or other proceeding in any court involving a small farmer or a person belonging to the economically weaker section either as plaintiff or as defendant should be taken up on priority over other cases listed for the day. 

The Bill expects courts to hear and dispose of cases "as far as possible within six months". 

Litigation Bill

Patil also introduced in the Assembly a Bill to streamline government litigation. 

The Karnataka Conduct of Government Litigation Bill seeks to make government litigation more effective. 

"There are rules, orders, notifications, circulars etc with regard to conduct of state litigations before the law courts and statutory tribunals in the state. Further, it is considered necessary to enact an effective legislation to ensure efficient and responsible conduct of government litigation before the law courts and statutory tribunals in the state," Patil stated in the Bill. 

According to the Bill, committees will be formed at the state- and district-levels to monitor the stand of the government in each case, verify written arguments and suggest modifications, if any.