By Shafee Ahmed Ko, TwoCircles.net,
Chennai: For fast disposal of pending cases in Family Courts in Tamil Nadu, Chief Justice of Madras High Court Y.M. Eqbal has asked all six family courts in the state to work on Saturdays also besides weekdays. If necessary, the courts will function on Sundays as well. The courts will work accordingly from coming Saturday (10th July).
Family Courts dealing in marital dispute will function on Saturdays and if necessary they will function on Sundays too to alleviate the hitch of marital conflicts. “If the parties or their representatives agree to get their cases listed on Sundays, the courts will function on those days also’, the Registrar-General S. Vimala informed on Tuesday.
Justice YM Eqbal
Tamil Nadu has 6 family courts spreading over Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem and Chennai. Chennai alone has 3 such courts.
Normally Family Courts deal in fringe divorces, re-union of the parted couples in minor differences of opinion, claims for maintenance after divorce, and to decide the custodian of the children in case either party’s claims in disparity. There are 12000 cases pending in 3 Family Courts in Chennai alone. Till last month of 2010 more than 2500 cases have been listed, including 1300 original petition for divorce. The State has 16000 cases to be heard, said the Registrar-General.
Majorities of the litigants belong to working communities, mainly from MNCs, whereby they cannot avail permissions to frequent the courts. Multiple adjournments keep them in annoyed moods in addition to their main mental agony. Family Courts operational on holidays will make easy for the litigants.
It’s further learnt that the Chennai Court will take first step to initiate the new system, and the proposal will be followed in due course in Coimbatore, Madurai and Salem also.
The Registrar-General S. Vimala further said that this was appreciated by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.