151 Gram Nyayalayas Start Functioning

As per information available, 166 Gram Nyayalayas have been notified by six State Governments, of which 151 Gram Nyayalayas have started functioning.  State-wise progress is as under:

Sl. No.	Name of State	Number of Gram Nyayalayasnotified	Number of Gram Nyayalayasoperationalized
1.	Madhya Pradesh	89	89
2.	Rajasthan	45	45
3.	Orissa	14	8
4.	Karnataka	2	0
5.	Maharashtra	10	9
6.	Jharkhand	6	0
Total		166	151

Giving this information

in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Shri Salman Khurshid, Minister of Law & Justice, said that the GramNyayalayas Act, 2008 provides for establishment of Gram Nyayalayas to improve access to justice for common man.  The Act has come into force with effect from 2^nd October, 2009. 

In terms of Section 3 (1) of the Act, it is for the State Governments to establish Gram Nyayalayas in consultation with the respective High Courts. Most of the States to which the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 extends, have supported the setting up of Gram Nyayalayas.  But a number of States have either requested for higher central financial assistance while indicating their willingness to establish Gram Nyayalayas or conveyed their disinclination.  While Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Rajasthan are among States which have demanded higher amount, States/ UTs of Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Chandigarh and Lakshdweep have, for different reasons, not felt the need to set up GramNyayalayas.