HON'BLE C.J. INAUGURATES THE FIRST MOBILE COURT OF PUNJAB

                         Today the nation celebrates the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of Nation and Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri.  Though both of them were multi-faceted personalities, but one virtue which was close to their hearts was 'justice for all'.  With this in mind, Hon'ble Mr. Justice Vijender Jain, Chief Justice and his colleagues thought of giving a befitting tribute to them, this time on their Birthday by launching the first Mobile Court of Punjab on this day at Talwara (Distt - Hoshiarpur).  Though for the State of Punjab, it may be a first project of its kind but for the Punjab & Haryana High Court, it is repeating the history.  A golden chapter was added to the nation's judicial system on 4^th August, 2007 at Punhana, District Mewat in Haryana when Hon'ble Mr Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chief Justice of India inaugurated the first Mobile Court in the country.

                         The Government may have thought of providing education, water and other basic amenities at the doorsteps of our people but no one had thought of providing justice at their doorsteps.  And the man who has made it possible is none other than the dynamic, enterprising and untiring Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court, Hon'ble Mr. Justice Vijender Jain.  It is a fact that some of our litigants cannot have access to courts on account of the fact that they are living in remote areas and are not able to travel upto courts.  Accordingly, it was thought that in case the consumer of justice finds it difficult to reach upto the Court then why not steps should be taken to take the Court to his doorsteps.  This could be done only by having a Mobile Court. 

                        Taking all these factors into consideration, it was decided to introduce a Mobile Court at Talwara, District Hoshiarpur in Punjab.  The Mobile Court shall take cases at four centres namely Jandwal, Talwara, Hajipur and Kamahi Devi.  The Mobile Court shall be held at the above centres on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays by rotation, beginning from October 4 at Jandwal.  October 11 at Hajipur, October 19 at Talwara and October 30 at Kamahi Devi. The list of cases to be heard at the respective centres has been drawn up till the end of December 2007.  On Wednesdays & Saturdays the Presiding Officer shall be holding regular court at Dasuya.

                         The centres for the Mobile Court have been chosen in such a manner that the people have to travel minimum distance to get justice.

                         Mobile Court is a regular court and will transact all kinds of judicial business.  It will also take cognizance of criminal cases on the basis of police reports or criminal complaints.  The hearing of the cases will be just like a regular court.

                         The Mobile Court would be equipped to receive plaints, miscellaneous civil and criminal applications, grant bails or remand accused to custody, receive police reports, private criminal complaints, record evidence, pronounce judgements, execute decrees, pass sentences and commit convicts to prison.  It would also deliver certified copies of its orders, judgements and decrees.

                         The Mobile Court will have a specially equipped bus in which the Presiding Officer would be able to work in the privacy of his retiring room in the rear of the bus.  The record or judicial files will also be kept in the cabinets provided in this bus.  The Ahlmad of the court shall work within the bus.  Judgement Writer shall be able to do his work within the bus as this would be equipped with a computer, sufficient seating capacity for about 10 persons and a private retiring room for the Presiding Judge.

  Disposal of Mobile Courts:

                         Disposal of cases by Mobile Court, Mewat, District Gurgaon from August 2007 to October, 2007 is 393 cases and disposal of cases at Mobile Court, District Hoshiapur from 4.10.2007 to 3.11.2007 is 237.