The Kerala Civil Judicial Staff Organisation (KCJSO), an umbrella body for 9,000 employees working in various courts, including munsiff court, sub court, district court, family court, Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) courts, has asserted that the pendency of cases can be reduced only by increasing the number of courts and facilities.
“In India, we have a court each for 50,000 whereas in European Union, the ratio is one court for 5,500 people. As the Supreme Court observed in 2002, we can reduce the pendency only if we have a court for at least 20,000 people. Judicial justice should be viewed as a basic necessity for everyone,” said E.A. Dinesh Kumar, State president of the KCJSO.
The KCJSO has raised the demand for uniformity of staff in all courts, particularly family courts and MACT courts. C.R. Jeevesh, State general secretary of the KCJSO, said that staff shortage was posing a big hurdle for fast processing of cases in courts across the State.
KCJSO leaders demanded that the concerns of civil judicial staff should be addressed when the government is trying to merge the civil and criminal departments. “The number of civil judicial staff is four times that of criminal judicial staff. When they are merged, the concerns of the civil judicial staff should be addressed,” said Mr. Jeevesh and Mr. Dinesh.
The KCJSO will hold its 31st State conference at Hi-Tech Auditorium at Pirayiri near here on Saturday and Sunday. Palakkad is hosting the KCJSO State meet after 25 years.
The State council meeting will begin on Saturday morning. Former members and veterans will be felicitated in the afternoon.
High Court Judge Sophy Thomas will inaugurate the conference on Sunday morning. Minister for Power K. Krishnankutty will be the chief guest.
