GUWAHATI, June 23 � Welcoming the Gauhati High Court�s decision to appoint court commissioners for speedy disposals of civil cases, the All Assam Lawyers� Association has said that this would reduce the burden of the court.
Addressing the media over several issues concerning the State, AALA general secretary Dipak Kumar Das said that the commissioners including former judges and advocates would record evidences in the civil cases to save time of the court.
The provision of appointing such commissioners already exists in the Order 26 Rule 9 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC).
�This practice is operational in Bengaluru and was running on a trial basis in Guwahati. Now it has been decided to appoint 70 court commissioners. In Guwahati, nearly 4,000 civil cases are pending and such an effort is supposed to clear the backlog within six months,� said Das.
The advocates� body however, said that the new initiative would become a success only with proper logistical support and adequate remuneration for the commissioners.
On the other hand, demanding proper enquiry into the matter of anomalies and corruption charges against the APSC, the association said that in a democracy, executives have a crucial role to play and appointment of its members must meet the laid down parameters.
�We demand proper enquiry against those office bearers of APSC, corrupt candidates and even journalists whose names are associated with the charges of corruption and anomalies. A CBI enquiry must also be conducted to ascertain whether any political power was involved in the entire issue,� he added.
Also raising the issue of �special category status� to Assam, AALA said that the same status must be continued to carry on the process of development. �The 90:10 ratio of funding between the Centre and the State must be maintained, otherwise the development of the State would be stalled,� he added.
Extending its support to the democratic movement of the Special Police Officers (SPO)s, it said that the government must regularise their services even if it needs any legal amendment.
�Whereas the former militants are being honoured by the public and the government alike, the SPOs who fought in difficult terrains to bring back peace in NC Hills, are facing immense hardship,� he added.
