By Ashraf Padanna/Thiruvanathapuram
Federal Minister of State for Human Resources Development Shashi Tharoor has called for swift action on the demand for a bench of the Kerala High Court in the state capital Thiruvanathapuram.
“It is high time that the basic issues involved in the decades-long demand were addressed by all concerned and swiftly acted upon,” Tharoor, who represents Thiruvananthapuram in parliament, said here yesterday.
He was reacting to reports on the Kerala High Court Senior Advocates’ Association’s demand for the closing down the recently constituted Kerala Administrative Tribunal here.
The association had reportedly said the tribunal was not an effective alternative mechanism to the high court since its orders could be challenged in the high court, currently located in the port city of Kochi.
According to the association, the objective of reducing the workload of the high court could not be achieved by the tribunal and it does not serve the interests of the litigants or lawyers. It served only the interests of retired judges and retired civil servants. Besides, the tribunal entails a heavy financial burden on the litigants and the state.
“In the first instance, the views expressed by the association, if they have been correctly reported, that the tribunal served only the interests of retired judges and retired civil servants was in bad taste and uncalled for,” Tharoor said.
“This is only indicative of a larger negative mindset about institutions here among certain sections which had stymied for so long the setting up of a bench of the high court in the state capital.”
He said the solution to the problem is not to close down the tribunal but to set up a bench of the high court in Thiruvananthapuram alongside the tribunal.
“The bulk of the litigation in the high court is related to the government and it would be financial prudence and administrative convenience that these cases are dealt with in the state capital,” he said.
“At present, the geographical disconnect between the highest seat of justice in the state and the body which has to reply to a major portion of the litigation, is leading to unnecessary delays and avoidable expenditure in the dispensation of justice.”
The former UN official said “the issue of the setting up of a bench is one which should not and cannot be put off any longer. It is high time that the basic issues involved are considered once and for all by all the stakeholders involved and acted upon in the best interests of justice and welfare of the people.”